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First Master of Aurora Grata Lodge of Perfection 
Installed November 3, 1808 



ANCIENT ACCEPTED SCOTTISH RITE 



ONE HUNDRED YEARS 



OF 



AURORA GRATA 



1808 - 1908 



BY 



CHARLES A. BROCKAWAY, 32 ( 




BROOKLYN, N. Y. 
AURORA GRATA CONSISTORY 
1908 



1908 



ft A 



/40 



3 



Copyright, 1908, by 

Charles H. Luscomb 

In trust for Aurora Grata Consistory 

Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite 



WAVERLT PRESS 

WILLIAMS & WILKINS COMPANY 

BALTIMORE 



To III. Henry L Palmer, 33° 

'The Grand Old Man of Freemasonry" 
this volume is fraternally dedicated 



SUPREME COUNCIL 33° A. A. S. RITE 

FOR THE NORTHERN MASONIC JURISDICTION OF THE U. S. 
OFFICE OF THE M. P. SOV. GRAND COMMANDER 

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, February 4, 1908. 

Charles A. Brockaway, 32°, 

Brooklyn, New York. 
My dear Brother: 

I received in due time your manuscript of " One Hun- 
dred Years of Aurora Grata, 1808-1908," together with 
your letter of the 20th ultimo relating thereto. I have 
read every word of it, from the title page to the conclu- 
sion, and finished the reading last night. So far as I have 
any personal knowledge of the transactions of the Aurora 
Grata bodies, and so far as I have any means of verifying 
them, the statements contained therein seem to be abso- 
lutely correct. I have found it an exceedingly interest- 
ing production. I had a personal acquaintance with so 
many of those who were connected with these Bodies 
that I found this history as fascinating as the most 
exciting work of fiction I have ever read. 

You have done a wonderful work in gathering together 
so accurately the facts connected with the history of 
these Bodies. For the sake of the present members of 
the Bodies themselves, and of the Rite in our Juris- 
diction, it should be published and thus permanently 
preserved for the future. I appreciate and thank you 
for the grand work you have accomplished. 

Yours truly, H. L Palmer, 

Grand Commander. 







<m 



CONTENTS 



INTRODUCTION 

Beginnings of the Scottish Rite ix 

THE FOUNDING OF AURORA GRATA 1 

Lodge of Perfection Charter 7 

Letter to Charleston Supreme Council 12 

Founders of Aurora Grata. 14 

Sublime Grand Consistory 18 

Supreme Council, N. M. J 22 

"The Ruthless Hand of Ignorance" 31 

Emerging from the Eclipse 33 

Progress, Dissension, Harmony 34 

AURORA GRATA REVIVED 41 

Charles W. Willets. 44 

Work Begins Again 46 

Establishment of the Mystic Shrine 47 

^Removalto Fulton Street 48 



yi contents 

The Union of 'Sixty-seven 50 

Joseph D. Evans 52 

Simon Wiggin Robinson 54 

Active Membership 54 

Changes in Officers 56 

John W. Simons 57 

Charles T. McClenachan, Commander-in-Chief. 60 

Meetings in New York City 64 

Charter of Council Suspended 65 

Aurora Grata Lodge No. 756 66 

Proposal to Surrender Charter 67 

Efforts toward Consolidation 69 

The Consolidation Effected 72 

Downcast Hours — Welcome Dawn 75 

Aurora Grata Cathedral 81 

Henry L Palmer 84 

Aurora Grata Club 85 

SECOND AURORA GRATA CONSISTORY 87 

Edwin Knowles 90 

Edwin Gates 92 

Adversity Returns; Again Vanquished 93 

J. H. Hobart Ward 95 

John W. Richardson, Commander-in-Chief. . . * . . 96 



CONTENTS VII 

William Homan 89 

Edwin D. Washburne, Commander-in-Chief. ... 100 

Gifts from Members 100 

Daniel Sickels 102 

Charles H. Luscomb, Commander-in-Chief 103 

Exchanges of Visits with Scranton 106 

Visits to Smybolic Lodges 109 

Wayland Trask Ill 

Annual Reunions 113 

Conclusion 114 

APPENDIX 

Thirty-second Degree Patent of Mordecai 
Myers I 

Appointment of Mordecai Myers in Sublime 
Grand Consistory II 

Officers of the Aurora Grata Bodies Ill 



ILLUSTRATIONS 

Mordecai Myers Frontispiece 

Lodge of Perfection Charter 8 ' 

Endorsements on Charter 22 / 

Joseph D. Evans 52 / 

John W. Simons 58/ 

Charles T. McClenachan 62 

Aurora Grata Cathedral 82 ... 

Henry L Palmer 84 

J. H. Hobart Ward 94 , 

John W. Richardson 96 . 

Edwin D. Washburne 100 

Daniel Sickels 102 

Original Drawing of Grand Decoration 104 N 

Charles H. Luscomb 108 

WaylandTrask 112 - 

Thirty-second Degree Patent Appendix ■ 

Appointment in Consistory Appendix * 



INTRODUCTION 

COINCIDENT with the Masonic revival in the early 
part of the Eighteenth Century there sprang up a 
desire for a deeper research into the arcana of Freemasonry 
and a thorough knowledge of the secret history and doc- 
trines of the order. The most brilliant minds of Europe 
were enticed by so fascinating a study, and devised beauti- 
ful ceremonies or degrees for the purpose of exemplifying 
those subtle mysteries so little known even to Masons, 
and embracing the historical, philosophical, and chival- 
ric. For a considerable time there were apparently no 
governing bodies for these new degrees, and they were 
for the most part what we now call "side" degrees. 
Efforts were made to establish separate and distinct 
organizations wherein these sublime truths might be 
revealed and cultivated, but nearly all of these attempts 
were ephemeral. In 1754, however, twenty-five of these 
degrees (including the three Symbolic degrees) were 
arranged in a series called the Rite of Perfection or 
H-R-D-M, and a governing body was promptly formed ; 
but the spirit of frequent change still reigned over 
Masonry, and five years later we find these same degrees 
conferred under authority of a body styled the Council 
of Emperors of the East and West, having its Grand 
East at Paris. 



X INTRODUCTION 

On the 27th of August, 1761, this body invested Ste- 
phen Morin with power to carry the Rite of Perfection 
to America. He established bodies in Santo Domingo 
and at Kingston, Jamaica, and at the latter place Henry 
Andrew Francken was admitted to the high degrees. 
Francken was commissioned by Morin a Deputy Inspec- 
tor General, with power to carry the Rite to the Continent 
of America. He came to New York and on the 20th 
of December, 1767, gave a patent of authority to a 
number of brethren residing at Albany, where they 
immediately established Ineffable Lodge of Perfection. 
That body continues to work to this day under authority 
of that original warrant, sanctioned by the Supreme 
Council of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite for the 
Northern Masonic Jurisdiction. 

The Council of Emperors of the East and West adopted 
Grand Constitutions in 1762, a copy of which Morin 
furnished to Francken, who in turn left a copy with the 
Albany body. Both Morin and Francken had power 
not alone to appoint Inspectors General, but to invest 
them with equal powers with their own, and in the 
exercise of this power Francken appointed Moses M. 
Hayes and several others to this grade. A second Lodge 
of Perfection was constituted in Philadelphia in 1781, 
and parts of the early records of this body have been 
preserved. The following year Joseph M. Meyers, who 
had been appointed by Hayes, established a Council 
of Princes of Jerusalem at Charleston, South Carolina, 
and in 1783 Isaac Da Costa, who also owed his appoint- 
ment to Hayes, established a Lodge of Perfection at the 



INTRODUCTION XI 

same place. In January of 1797, a Grand Council of 
Princes of the Royal Secret was established in Charles- 
ton under authority of a body of the same rank at Kings- 
ton, Jamaica. 

The Rite of Perfection, however, was burdened with 
inherent defects of organization and government, and 
in 1786 the "Frederick Constitutions" were published to 
the world for a new system, the Ancient Accepted Scot- 
tish Rite, which appropriated outright the degrees of the 
Rite of Perfection and added eight more, thereby bring- 
ing the number up to thirty-three. By the terms of 
these Constitutions succession in the government of the 
Rite after the death of Frederick the Great, supreme 
head of the order, was provided for by investing his 
power in a Supreme Council in each nation, excepting 
in the United States, where there were to be two Supreme 
Councils for the government of the Ancient Accepted 
Scottish Rite. In 1801, Colonel John Mitchell, commis- 
sioned an Inspector General by Barend M. Spitzer, who 
had received a commission from Hayes, took steps to 
form a Supreme Council of the Ancient Accepted Scot- 
tish Rite in exact accordance with the provisions of the 
Constitutions of 1786. Frederick Dalcho, D.D., was 
raised to the grade of Inspector General and the degree 
was communicated to others until the Supreme Council 
for the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States was 
completed on the 31st of May, 1801, the first Supreme 
Council organized in the world conformably to the Con- 
stitutions of 1786. 




THE FOUNDING OF AURORA GRATA 




MONG the Masonic curios collect- 
ed by the Grand Lodge of the 
State of New York there is a 
certificate dated the 22d of July, 
1782, signed by Paul Revere, 
Master of the Lodge of Saint 
Andrew in the Town of Boston, and afterwards 
Grand Master of Masons in Massachusetts. This 
certificate reads that " our worthy Brother Abra- 
ham Jacobs has been duly initiated into the 
second degree of Freemasonry. As such he has 
been received by us, and being a true and faithful 
brother is hereby recommended to the favor and 
protection of all Free and Accepted Masons 
wherever dispersed. " Jacobs was raised to the 
degree of Master Mason in Lodge No. 1 at Charles- 
ton, South Carolina, under the jurisdiction of the 



2 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

Athol Grand Lodge of England (Ancients). In 
1788 the Sublime degrees were conferred upon 
him up to and including the " Grand and Sublime 
Degree of Perfection," or Grand Elect Mason, 
and one of the signers of his certificate was 
Brigadier-General Mordecai Gist, then Deputy 
Grand Master of Masons in South Carolina and 
Grand Master in 1790. Jacobs was promoted to 
the degree of Knight of the Sun, in Jamaica, in 
the spring of 1790, and he returned to Savannah, 
Georgia, in November of the same year. 

Learning of the recent establishment of the 
Supreme Council of the Thirty-third degree at 
Charleston, Jacobs and eight others petitioned the 
Grand Council of Princes of Jerusalem on the 21st 
of November, 1802, for authority to found a 
Lodge of Perfection at Savannah, and a warrant 
of constitution passed the seal of the Grand Coun- 
cil of Princes of Jerusalem for the establishment 
of a Sublime Grand Lodge of Perfection at 
Savannah, which was constituted on the 30th of 
December, 1802, as Grand Elect and Sublime 
Grand Lodge No. 2 under the jurisdiction of the 
Sublime Grand Council of Princes of Jerusalem 
at Charleston. 

In 1804 we find Jacobs in New York, and on 
the 4th of October of that year he wrote in his 
diary : 



THE FOUNDING OF AURORA GRATA 6 

Bro. Joseph Jacobs, an old Royal Arch Mason, having 
signified by letter his desire of receiving the Sublime degrees, 
taking into view the uncertainty of life and death, and in 
case of the latter not knowing into whose hands my papers 
may fall, determined to confer the Sublime degrees upon 
him, on his being qualified to receive my papers in case 
of death and return them to the Supreme Council at Charles- 
ton, South Carolina. 

During the next four years Jacobs conferred 
the Sublime degrees upon nineteen brothers all 
told, most of them being Past Masters of their 
Lodges. In October, 1808, these brethren 
formed themselves into a convention in order to 
elect the officers for a Council of Princes of Jeru- 
salem and a Sublime Grand Lodge of Perfection, 
and Jacobs decided to promote the officers of the 
Council and the Master and Deputy Master of 
the Lodge of Perfection to the degree of Knight 
of the Sun, agreeably and in conformity to the 
Constitutions. Let us copy from his diary for 
October, 1808: 

It was moved and seconded that the brethren present 
form themselves into a convention, which was unani- 
mously agreed to. Present: 

Thomas Lownds Abraham Jacobs 

Sampson Simson Richard Riker 

Benjamin Shotwell Benjamin Aycrigg 

William T. Hunter Stephen Scudder 

John E. Ruckel Joel Hart 



4 aurora grata a. a. scottish rite 

Andrew Sitcher Mordecai Myers 

John Clough William Steward 

John Phelps Joseph Jacobs 

It was moved and seconded that Bro. Abraham Jacobs 
take the chair, which was unanimously agreed to. It was 

moved and seconded that Bro. act as secretary to this 

convention, which was unanimously agreed to. It was 
moved and seconded that the officers to fill the Council of 
Princes of Jerusalem be elected out of the brethren present, 
which was unanimously agreed to. The brethren then 
proceeded to vote, when it appeared that the following 
brothers were duly elected by unanimous vote officers of 
the proposed Council of Princes of Jerusalem: 

Richard Riker, Esq., Attorney-General, M. E. 
Sampson Simson, Esq., Attorney at Law, Scribe 
Colonel Andrew Sitcher 
Daniel Beach. Esq. 
Jeremiah Shotwell. 
Joseph Jacobs, Tyler. 

The brethren then unanimously nominated and appointed 
the following brethren officers of the Sublime Lodge of 
Perfection: 

Mordecai Myers, S. G. M. 

John E. Ruckel, D. S. G. M. 

William T. Hunter, S. G. S. W. 

William F. Steward, S. G. J. W. 

Benjamin Aycrigg, S. G. T. 

Samuel Riker. S. G. S. 

Joel Hart, G. O. and K. S. 

John Clough, Capt. of the G. 

Stephen Scudder, Asst. Capt. of the G. 



THE FOUNDING OF AURORA GRATA 5 

It was then agreed that all the brethren should meet at 
the Washington Lodge room in Whitehall street on the 3d 
of November ensuing to obtain certificates and sign their 
submission, and that the officers of the Council and Lodge 
be then installed. 

During the next few days Jacobs conferred the 
degrees to and including Knight of the Sun upon 
the officers of the Council of Princes, the Master 
and Deputy Master of the Lodge of Perfection, 
and upon Thomas Lownds, High Priest of Jeru- 
salem Chapter of Royal Arch Masons. On the 
3d of November, seventeen brethren met at the 
rooms of Washington Lodge, of which Mordecai 
Myers was Past Master, when the certificates of 
the brethren were properly signed and they all 
subscribed their names to the "submission" or 
oath of fealty. The Council of Princes of Jeru- 
salem was duly opened and organized under the 
name of Concordia Crescimus, the officers were 
installed and the Council was closed. The Lodge 
of Perfection was then opened by Abraham 
Jacobs, after which Richard Riker was placed in 
the chair. Riker installed Mordecai Myers as 
Sublime Grand Master of the Sublime Lodge of 
Perfection, who in turn installed the other officers 
and closed the lodge. 

The next day, Friday the 4th of November, 
1808, the following advertisement appeared 



6 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

in the New York Gazette and General Adver- 
tiser: 

Lux ex Tenebris 

Health, Stability and Power 

At a convention of the Grand Elect, Perfect and Sublime 
Masons P. J. K. S. &c., held at the Washington Lodge room, 
in the City of New York on the 13th of the month Hesvan 
4493 corresponding to the 3d of November 1808, a grand 
Council of P. J. was duly chosen, and inducted into office 
according to the usages of this sublime and ancient insti- 
tution. Whereupon it was resolved that this public notice 
be given. 

By order of the Grand Council, 

Richard Riker, T. E. 
Attest: Sampson Simson, P. J. and G. S. 

nov 4, 3t 

Two days later, Sunday the 6th of November, 
the Council of Princes Concordia Crescimus was 
again opened at the Washington Lodge room, the 
following brethren being present: Abraham 
Jacobs, Thomas Lownds, Andrew Sitcher, Jere- 
miah Shotwell, Mordecai Myers, Daniel Beach, 
Sampson Simson, Richard Riker, John E. Ruckel, 
Joel Hart, and Joseph Jacobs. 111. John Gabriel 
Tardy, Deputy Inspector General, attended the 
Council in company with 111. Bros. John James 
Joseph Gourgas and Moses Levy Maduro Peixotto . 
Bro. Tardy produced his warrant and other ere- 



THE LODGE OF PERFECTION CHARTER 7 

dentials, investigated the proceedings of the bre- 
thren, sanctioned and approved them, and prom- 
ised his protection and every assistance in his 
power. He placed in the chair Richard Riker, 
Thrice Equitable, delivered to him the Constitu- 
tions and invested him with all the powers and 
prerogatives relating thereto by an instrument 
under his hand and seal, which was delivered in 
the presence of 111. Bros. Peixotto, Gourgas, and 
John Baptist Desdoity. 

A committee of five, consisting of Bros. Tardy, 
Peixotto, Gourgas, Simson, and Abraham 
Jacobs, was appointed to correspond with all 
Supreme Councils and Sublime lodges; and a 
committee of three, consisting of Bros. Beach, 
Sitcher, and Abraham Jacobs, was appointed to 
prepare a code of by-laws for the Council. 

THE LODGE OF PERFECTION CHARTER 

At the same session, 6th of November, 1808, 
a warrant of constitution or charter passed the 
seal of the Council of Princes of Jerusalem Con- 
cordia Crescimus to the Sublime Grand Lodge of 
Perfection, under the name of Aurora Grata 
No. One— the first charter and apparently the 
only one granted by this Council of Princes. The 
text of that warrant is as follows : 



8 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

AD MAJOREM SUPREMI ARCHITECTI GLORIAM 

Lux ex Tenebris 
Health, Stability, & Power. 



From the East of the Grand Council of the Most Illustri- 
ous & Most Valiant Princes of Jerusalem, &c.\ &c.\ &c*. 
under the Celestial Canopy of the Zenith which answers to 
40 degrees 23 Min. N. L. 

To our Illustrious, Perfect and Sublime Knights of the 
East, & Most Excellent Princes of Jerusalem &c.\ &c.\ 
&c.\ over the surface of the two Hemispheres. 

Know Ye, that We the Council of Princes of Jerusalem, 
by the name of Concordia Crescimus No.'. One in the City 

of New York, State of New York, North America 

Send Greeting: 

By and Virtue of the Powers vested in Us, by the Most 
Illustrious and Most Puissant Brethren John Gabriel Tar- 
dy, Sovereign Prince of the Royal Secret, Deputy Inspector 
General & Grand Master over all Lodges, Chapters, Coun- 
cils & Grand Councils, John Baptist Desdoity, John James 
Joseph Gourgas & Moses Levy Maduro Peixotto, Sovereign 
Princes of the Royal Secret, &c.\ &c.\ &c.\ and under the 
special protection of the Most Puissant Princes and in 
their Place and Stead, at the request of Our Worthy and 
Well Beloved Brethren Mordecai Myers, John E. Ruckel, 
William F. Steward, William T. Hunter, Joel Hart, 
Stephen Phelps, Stephen Scudder, John Clough, Benja- 
min Aycrigg, Samuel Riker, Junr. & Joseph Jacobs; Have 
founded, established & Constituted & by these Presents, Do 
found, establish & constitute, a Sublime Lodge of Perfec- 
tion to be held in the City of New York, State of New York, 
or within Seventy-five Miles of it, under the Distinct Name 
of Aurora Grata, Number One & in order to reward their 



FAC-SIMILE OF CHARTER 
AURORA GRATA LODGE OF PERFECTION 






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THE LODGE OF PERFECTION CHARTER 9 

Zeal, Fervor & Constancy in the Great Works of the Royal 
Art, Have Nominated, Constituted and appointed, & Do 
hereby Nominate, Constitute & Appoint, the said our 
Well Beloved Brethren to be and compose the aforesaid 
Sublime Lodge of Perfection, approving, ratifying and con- 
firming the Choice they have made unanimously, of our said 
Brethren Mordecai Myers, Sublime Grand Master; John E. 
Ruckel, Sublime Deputy Grand Master; William F. Ste- 
ward, Sublime Grand Senior Warden; William T. Hunter, 
Sublime Grand Junior Warden; &c.\ &c.\ &c.\, with 
Power, Strength & Authority to them and their successors 
for ever to admit and Initiate Master Masons of the Blue 
Lodge &c.\ &c.\ &c. \, Nominate, Elect & Install their 
Officers, &c. \ &c. *. &c. \, And Generally Do all such Things 
as to Sublime Lodges of Perfection Do belong & in any 
ways appertain, Conforming Themselves to all the Rules, 
Statutes and Regulations for the Government of Sublime 
Lodges, &c. \ &c. \ &c. \ which have or may be hereafter 
handed to them by the Supreme Tribunal of the Sovereign 
Princes of the Royal Secret, &c. \ &c. \ &c. \ 

Given under our hands and Seal of Our Council in the 
City of New York, State of New York, United States of 
America, the Sixteenth day of the 8th Month called Hes- 
van in the Year 5569, of the Restoration 2339, and of 
the Vulgar Mra, the Sixth day of November, 1808. 

A. SlTCHER R. RlKER 

m. '. e. \ r->$< k. \s. '. t. \e. \ r-^ & k. \s. \ 

Thos. Lownds Daniel Beach 

m. \ e. \ r->j< & k. \s. \ g. \t. *. r-^ & k. \s. '. 

Jeremiah Shotwell By Order of the Council, 
g. \o. \ r->J< & k. -.s. \ Sampn. Simson, Gr. Secy. 

R-b$< & K. *.S. *. 

(Seal) 



10 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

This original warrant or charter is the patent 
of authority under which Aurora Grata Lodge of 
Perfection is working today, and it is in a remark- 
able state of preservation considering the hand- 
ling to which a lodge charter is necessarily 
exposed. The handwriting is that of 111. John 
James Joseph Gourgas, and it is penned with 
patient care and precision, not the least detail of 
punctuation, abbreviation, or Masonic charac- 
teristic being slighted in any particular. 

This document is believed to be the oldest 
purely Scottish Rite charter in existence today, 
issued with full knowledge of the Frederick Con- 
stitutions of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite. 
It is true a warrant was granted in 1802 for a 
Sublime Grand Lodge in Savannah, but that body 
has been dead these hundred years. The warrant 
of Ineffable Lodge of Perfection at Albany, bearing 
date of the 20th of December, 1767,was granted 
under the old system or Rite of Perfection, and 
was confirmed and continued in force by the 
Supreme Council for the Northern Masonic Juris- 
diction. 

The size is nineteen by twenty-four inches 
and the material is parchment. It shows the 
stains and creases of a century of service, but 
the texture is as firm as the day the document 
was written, and the handwriting is as legible as 



THE LODGE OF PERFECTION CHARTER 11 

when it was placed in the zealous care of Aurora 
Grata Lodge of Perfection on the 6th of Novem- 
ber, 1808. 

In granting this warrant Concordia Crescimus 
Council of Princes of Jerusalem acted entirely 
within its powers and jurisdiction. At that time 
Princes of Jerusalem were vested with many 
privileges and prerogatives by virtue of their 
high rank. In the Grand Constitutions of 1786 
it was declared that "The power of the Supreme 
Council does not interfere in any degree below 
the Seventeenth, or Knight of the East and West," 
and Councils of Princes of Jerusalem not only 
granted charters for and controlled Lodges of 
Perfection, but governed the Symbolic degrees 
of the Scottish Rite in those jurisdictions where 
no Grand Lodge was established. 

The advertisement in the New York Gazette 
and General Advertiser was changed on Tuesday, 
8th of November, 1808, to read as follows : 

Lux ex Tenebris 

Health, Stability and Power 

TO all whom it may concern, be it known, that a Grand 
Lodge of ineffable and sublime Masons has been duly con- 
stituted and established under the jurisdiction of the 
Grand Council of K. S. &c. &c. &c. of the state of New York 



12 AUKORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

for the purpose of conferring the ineffable degrees of 
Masonry. 

By order of the Sublime Grand Lodge, 
M. Myers, T. P. 
A. R. 2339 S. Riker, Jun., S. G. S. 

17th Hesvan 5569 nov. 7-3t 

This advertisement appeared in the issues 
of Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday of that week. 

NOTIFICATION TO CHARLESTON SUPREME 
COUNCIL 

Within a week a letter was addressed to the 
Supreme Council at Charleston in the following 
terms: 

New York, 14th of November, 1808. 
Health, Stability and Power 
Most Respectable and Illustrious Brethren: 

It is with pleasure I inform you that I have, by request 
some of the most respectable citizens, Master Masons of the 
Blue Lodge, and many of them members of the Royal Arch 
Chapter established in this community, conferred on them 
the Sublime degrees of Masonry and established a Council 
of Princes of Jerusalem in this city on Thursday, the 13th 
day of Hesvan, 5569, answering to the 3d inst., which 
proceedings have been sanctioned by the T. HI. John G. 
Tardy, K. H., Deputy Inspector General by full Patent 
and Power invested in him, which he has produced to our 
satisfaction, and is in possession of every requisite for 



LETTER TO CHARLESTON SUPREME COUNCIL 13 

establishing the Council of K. H., &c — who, in company 
with our Illustrious Brethren John James Joseph Gourgas, 
Moses Levy Maduro Peixotto and John Baptist Desdoity, 
K. H. and P. of the R. S., attended our Convention on the 
6th inst, when our 111. Bro. John G. Tardy, acknowledged 
our proceedings legal, by granting dispensation under his 
hand and seal as Deputy Inspector General, authorizing 
our Council to put a Sublime Lodge in operation in this 
city under our jurisdiction, which proceedings were also 
confirmed to be legal by a Certificate of Approbation under 
the hands and seals of the Illustrious Brothers Gourgas, 
Peixotto and Desdoity, K. H. and P. of the R. S., at the 
foot of said Dispensation, by virtue of which power we are 
now established and congregated. I've transmitted you a 
list of the members composing our Council and Lodge, and 
from their respectability no doubt will be pleasing to your 
Supreme Council. As a Mason, I think we shall become 
one among the most respectable Sublime Councils and 
Lodges now in operation. 

I commenced this business on the 4th of October, 1804, 
and have been regularly progressing until its present accom- 
plishment, on which we immediately advertised in the 
daily papers, to which refer you. A Committee has been 
appointed by this Council, to address your Supreme body; 
they will transmit you our proceedings which are now in 
hand to forward for your inspection, and flatter myself, 
from their legality, you will give your assent and support 
to the infant institution in this metropolis, which will 
afford us much satisfaction. By request of the members, 
I am desired to inform you that we shall be happy in 
holding a brotherly correspondence, and when opportunity 
offers, be much gratified by a visit from any of your respec- 



14 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

table Council, or their recommendation. Your approba- 
tion of our proceedings and brotherly reply to this as soon 
as convenient by post, will be deemed a favor conferred on 
Illustrious Brethren. 

Your affectionate Brother, 

Abm. Jacobs, k. s., &c. 

To the Thrice Illustrious and Respectable Colonel 
John Mitchell, Grand Commander of the Thirty- third, 
Officers and Members composing the Supreme Council 
in the Grand East of Charleston, South Carolina. 

THE FOUNDERS OF AURORA GRATA 

Most of the founders of Aurora Grata Lodge of 
Perfection were Past Masters, and many of them 
trod even higher rounds of "the ladder which 
leads to fame in our mystic circle." 

Mordecai Myers, first Master of Aurora Grata 
Lodge of Perfection, held many offices in the 
Grand Lodge of the State of New York. He 
was Deputy Grand Master from 1829 to 1835, 
and Grand Master of the Phillips Grand Lodge 
from 1852 to 1856, when he became an Honorary 
Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of the 
State of New York. In the Grand Royal Arch 
Chapter he was Deputy Grand High Priest for 
three years and Grand High Priest in 1834. 

He was born in 1776 in Newport, Rhode Island, 
but he resided principally in New York State, 



THE FOUNDERS OF AURORA GRATA 15 

where he rendered military service on the 
northern border throughout the War of 1812. 
A severe wound received in the Battle of Chrys- 
ler's Field, where he lost nearly a third of his 
command, caused his transferrence to the retired 
list in 1815. For six years he reprented an 
influential constituency in the Legislature, and 
he served two terms as Mayor of Schenectady, 
where he died in 1871 at the age of ninety-four. 

Major Myers was possessed of a clear mind and 
a strong will, and the fact that with all the hard- 
ships incident to the life of a soldier in the War of 
1812, he lived to be nearly ninety-five years of 
age, is evidence that he had a robust constitu- 
tion. Physically he was of very large propor- 
tions, and he had a clear and keen black eye, 
giving evidence of the strong intellectual power 
of the man. 

On the 8th of November, 1808, 111. Bro. Tardy 
raised Bros. Mordecai Myers, Daniel D. Thomp- 
kins, Richard Riker, Sampson Simson, and 
Abraham Jacobs to the Grade of Sovereign 
Prince of the Royal Secret, Thirty-second degree, 
and delivered to them patents as such. These 
patents also are in the handwriting of 111. Bro. 
Gourgas, and they bear the same seals as the 
Aurora Grata Charter. The patent issued to 
Bro. Myers reads: 



16 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

UNIVERSI TERRARUM ORBIS ARCHITECTONIS 
PER GLORIAM INGENTIS* 

Deus Meumque Jus 
Ordo ab Chao 

From the East of the Grand, of the most Puissant Coun- 
cil of the Most Valiant Princes & Sublime Masons of the 
Royal Secret &c.\ &c. \ &c. \ Under the Celestial Canopy 
of the Zenith, which answers to 40 Degrees 23 Minutes 
North Latitude. 

To our Illustrious & Most Valiant Knights & Princes of 
Free, Accepted & Perfect Masons of all Degrees, over the 
Surface of the Two Hemispheres, Greeting: 

We, John Gabriel Tardy, P.*. M.\; Grand Elect, Perfect 
& Sublime Mason; Knight of the East; Pee. of Jerm.; &c.\ 
&c. \&c. \; Patriarch Noachite; Knight of the Sun; & of the 
White and Black Eagle; &c.\ &c.\ &c.\; Sovereign Pee. of 
the Royal Secret, Deputy Inspector General, & Grand 
Master over all Lodges, Chapters, Councils, Colleges & 
Grand Councils of the Superior Degrees of Ancient & 
Modern Masonry over the Surface of the Two Hemispheres, 
by Patent from the Grand Council of Princes of Masons at 
Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, One of the United States of 
America, &c.\ &c.\ &c.\; Under the Special Protection 
of the Most Puissant Princes and in their Place and Stead, 
Do Certify and Attest unto all Free & Valiant Princes of 
Free and Accepted Masons &c. \ &c. \ &c. \ that our dear 
Brother Mordecai Myers of New York, aged Thirty-two, 
is known to be a P. \ M. \ ; Grand Elect, Perfect & Sublime 
Mason; Knight of the East; Prince of Jerusalem; Knight 
of the Pelican or Rose-^ &c. *. &c. \ &c. \ ; Patriarch Noa- 

*See fac-simile in the Appendix. 



THE FOUNDERS OF AURORA GRATA 17 

chite; & Knight of the Sun; & That having with firmness 
& constancy sustained the Brightness of the Grand Lumi- 
nary, given us the most Solid Proofs of his Fervency, Con- 
stancy and Zeal in the Support of the Royal Craft and of 
his Submission to the Supreme Tribunal of the Sovereign 
Princes of the Royal Secret; We have elevated and initi- 
ated him to the Sublime Degrees of Knight of the White 
and Black Eagle; & Sovn. Prince of the Royal Secret. 

We therefore Pray All Respectable Brethren, Knights 
and Princes of Masonry to receive our dear Brother Morde- 
cai Myers in his Respectable qualities and to entertain him 
favourably in every thing relative to them; Promising to 
have the same regard to those who shall present themselves 
to us, furnished with Proper and authentic Titles. 

To which We, John Gabriel Tardy, have hereunto sub- 
scribed our Name and affixed our Seal at arms, as also the 
Grand Seal of Princes of Masons in this Place where the 
Greatest Treasures are deposited, the Beholding of which 
fills us with Comforts, Joy & acknowledgment of all that 
is Great and Good, Near the B.\B.\ and C.\C.\, at New 
York, State of New York, this Eighteenth day of the 
Eighth Month called Hesvan of the Year 5569, of the 
Restoration 2339 & of the Vulgar Mva, the Eighth day of 
November, 1808. 

J. G. Tardy 
(Seal) Dy. Gr. Insp. Gal. 

(Seal) 

Sampson Simson, Past Master of Clinton 
Lodge No. 143,* was elected and installed Grand 
Treasurer of the Grand Lodge in 1811 and served 

* United with St. John's No. 1 in 1834. 



18 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

for three years. He was defeated for that office 
in 1814 by Bro. John W. Mulligan, but in June 
of the succeeding year the same brethren were 
again put in nomination and Bro. Simson was 
elected. Upon the formation of the Supreme 
Council for the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction in 

1813 he became Lieutenant Grand Commander, 
and upon the death of Most 111. Daniel D. Tomp- 
kins in 1825 became the second Sovereign Grand 
Commander, an office which he held until 1832, 
when he was succeeded by 111. John James 
Joseph Gourgas. His death occurred in New 
York in January, 1857, in his seventy-seventh 
year. 

Richard Riker was the first District Attor- 
ney of New York, serving as such from 1801 to 

1814 inclusive, with the exception of a brief 
period. The office at that time included the 
counties of New York, Kings, Suffolk, Rich- 
mond, and Westchester. He was Recorder of 
the city of New York in 1815-1819, 1821-1823 
and 1824-1838, and his portrait as such hangs in 
the Criminal Court Building, New York. 

THE SUBLIME GRAND CONSISTORY 

On the 24th of November, 1808, officers were 
elected in the Sublime Grand Consistory of 



THE SUBLIME GRAND CONSISTORY 19 

Sovereign Princes of the Royal Secret which 
had been established in the city of New York 
on the 6th of August, 1806, and certificates of 
their election and appointment to office were 
delivered to them. These certificates are of 
peculiar historical interest for the reason that 
they are among the earliest existing original 
documents in which occur the words " "Sover- 
eign Grand Inspectors General of the Thirty- 
third Degree/ ' 

The text of the certificate issued to Bro. Morde- 
cai Myers is as follows : 

UNIVERSI TERRARUM ORBIS ARCHITECTONIS 
PER GLORIAM INGENTIS* 

Deus Meumque Jus 

Ordo ab Chao 



From the East of the Grand, of the Most Puissant Coun- 
cil of the Most Valiant Princes & Sublime Masons of the 
Royal Secret, &c.\&c.\&c.\ Under the Celestial Canopy 
of the Zenith, which answers to 40 D. 23 M. N. L. 

To our Illustrious, Most Valiant & Sublime Princes of 
the Royal Secret, Knights of K-H. *., Illustrious Princes and 
Knights, Grand, Ineffable & Sublime, Free & Accepted 
Masons of all Degrees, Ancient & Modern over the Surface 
of the Two Hemispheres. 

* See fac-simile in the Appendix. 



20 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

To all Those to Whom these Letters shall come: 
We the Sublime Grand Consistory of Sovereign Princes 
of the Royal Secret of the 30th. \, 31st.*. & 32d.\ Degrees, 
duly and legally Established at and in the City and State 
of New York, one of the United States of America 

Send Greeting 

Know Ye, That We, the said Sublime Grand Consistory 
&c.\ &c.\ &c.\ By and in Virtue of our Rights and Pre- 
rogatives, as also of the Powers vested in Us, Have this 
day at High Meridian unanimously Nominated, Elected 
and Appointed Our Worthy and Well Beloved Brother 
Mordecai Myers to be Our Grand Introductor, in our said 
Sublime Grand Consistory For and During the Space of 
Three Years, Which office he having been pleased to accept 
of, We have installed him with all Honors and according 
to our Ancient Usages, & Do hereby Approve, Ratify and 
Confirm Whatever our said Illustrious Brother may Do, 
which belong or in any ways appertain to his above Speci- 
fied Eminent Situation amongst Us, conformable however 
to all the Rules, Statutes & Regulations of all the Different 
Degrees, which have or may be enacted hereafter, By 
the Supreme Tribunal of Sovereign Grand Inspectors 
General of the 33d Degree. 

Given under our Hands & Grand Seals of Princes of 
Masons, in the Place where the Greatest Treasures are 
deposited, the Beholding of which fills us with comforts, 
Joy and Acknowledgment of all that is Great and Good, 
Near the B.\B.\ and C.\C.\ at Our Grand Council Cham- 
ber, in the City and State of New York, this Fourth day 
of the Ninth month called Kislev of the Year 5569, of the 



ENDORSEMENT ON CHARTER 21 

Restoration 2339 and of the Vulgar Mra. this 24th day of 

November, 1808. 

R. Riker J. G. Tardy 

s.\p.\r.\s.\ & g.'.w.'. Depty. Insp. Gal. 

Sov. of Sov. 
John B. Desdoity, Lt. Com. 
r->$< k.\h.\s.\p.\r.'.s.\ 

Depy. Ins. Gal. &c. &c. &c. 
Sampn. Simson Mos. L. Mad. Peixotto 

k. \h. \s. *.p. \R. \s. •. Depy. Ins. Gal. Gr. Treasurer 

&G.\C.\ OFG.\ 

Ab. Jacobs By Order of the Subn. Gd. Consy. 

R-^ K.\H.\ J. J. J. GOURGAS, 

s.\p.\r.\s.\ gd. at. Gd. Secy.,&c.\&c.\&c.\ r.\>$< 

Eco. k-h, s.\p.\r.\s.\ (Seal) 
(Seal) Depy. Inspr. Gal. &c. \&e. \&c. \ 

On the 2d of April, 1809, the Grand Consistory 
made endorsement on the back of the Lodge of 
Perfection warrant in the following terms: 

UNIVERSI TERRARUM ORBIS ARCHITECTONIS 
PER GLORIAM INGENTIS 

Deus Meumque Jus 

Ordo ab Chao 



We the Sublime Grand Consistory of Sovereign Princes 
of the Royal Secret of the 30th.*., 31st.*. & 32d.\ Degrees 
duly & legally established at and in the City and State 
of New York, one of the United States of America 

Do hereby Approve, Ratify and confirm in its full force, 
the Warrant of Constitutions, on the other side granted on 



22 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

the Sixteenth day of the Eighth month called Hesvan of 
the Year 5569 By our Most Illustrious Council of Princes 
of Jerusalem, by the Distinct name Concordia Crescimus 
No.'. One; To the Lodge of Grand Elect, Perfect & Sub- 
lime Masons, by the Distinct Name of Aurora Grata, 
No.'. One, held in this City of New York 

In Testimony Whereof, We have delivered the Present 
under our Hands and Grand Seals of Princes of Masons in 
the Place where the Greatest Treasures are deposited, 
the contemplation of which fills us with Comfort, Joy and 
Acknowledgment of all that is Great and Good, Near the 
B.\B.\ and C.\C.\ at our Grand Council Chamber in the 
City and State of New York, this Sixteenth day of the first 
Month called Nisan of the Year 5570, of the Restoration 
2340 & of the Vulgar ^Era the second day of April, 1809. 

R. Riker J. G. Tardy 

s.\p.\r.\s.\&g.'.w.\ Depy. Insp. Gal., Sov. of Sov. 

k.\h.\s.\p.\r.\s.\ Mos. L. Mad. Peixotto 

& g.-.c.-.of g.\ Dy.Insp. Genl., G.\Treas.\ 

Sampn. Simson 

M. Myers By order of the Subn. Gd. Consy. 

K.\H.\S.\P.'.R.\S.\ & G.\I.\ J. J. J. GOURGAS 

Ab. Jacobs Gd. Secy., &c.*.&c.\&c.\ 

r.\>J<k-h.\s.\p.\r.\s.\ Gd. At. 
Thomas Lownds, Engr. 

r.*.^ k-h.\s.\p.'.r.\s.\ (Seal) (Seal) 

Joel Hart 

k.\h.\s.'.p.\r.\s.\g.\h.\ 

THE SUPREME COUNCIL, N. M. J. 

The New York brethren were not without their 
trials from the start. In 1806 Joseph Cerneau 



ENDORSEMENTS ON CHARTER 
AURORA GRATA LODGE OF PERFECTION 




*N 



££> 



i rv 













■I * 



THE SUPREME COUNCIL, N. M. J. 23 

received a patent from Mathieu Dupotet creating 
him a Deputy Grand Inspector of the Rite of 
Heredom for the northern part of the Island of 
Cuba, with power to initiate Masons in the 
degrees of the Rite of Heredom from the Fourth 
to the Twenty-fourth, provided they were officers 
of a lodge, and upon one only each year. A few 
months later Cerneau arrived in New York, and 
finding much ignorance on the part of Masons 
generally as to the Rite of Heredom he disre- 
garded the limitation in his patent and induced 
a large number of Masons to receive at his hands 
degrees which he had no authority to confer. In 
1807 he issued a warrant for a Consistory in New 
York, which was not organized however until 
late in 1808. This was a Consistory of the Rite 
of Heredom of Twenty-five degrees. In a docu- 
ment issued by this body on the 5th of May,1812, 
the title used is "Grand Consistory for the United 
States of America, Territories and dependencies, 
of Supreme Chiefs of Exalted Masonry, according 
to the Ancient Constitutional Rite of Heredom." 
There is nothing to show that up to this time 
this body claimed to be anything other than its 
title pretends — a Grand Consistory of the Rite 
of Heredom. A controversy arose between the 
Grand Consistory of the Rite of Heredom which 
claimed jurisdiction over Twenty-five degrees, 



24 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

and the Sublime Grand Consistory of the Thirtieth, 
Thirty-first and Thirty-second degrees, acknowl- 
edging allegiance to the Supreme Council of the 
Thirty-third degree of the Ancient Accepted 
Scottish Rite at Charleston, and in 1813 Cerneau 
created his "Supreme Council of Grand Inspec- 
tors General of the Thirty-third Degree' ' and 
soon adopted the scale of degrees of the Scottish 
Rite. This "Supreme Council" had only a 
nominal existence, for it was declared in their 
published documents that "the sole power of 
granting constitutional charters for Masonic in- 
stitutions within the United States of America, 
their territories and dependencies, from the 
Secret Master, Fourth Degree, to that of Grand 
Inspector General, Thirty-third, exists only with 
the Sovereign Grand Consistory of the Supreme 
Chiefs of Exalted Masonry." The document 
from which this is quoted bears the seal of his 
"M. P. Sov. Gr. Consistory," and the word Scot- 
tish is inserted in the title so as to read "the 
Ancient Constitutional Scottish Rite of Here- 
dom." 

In a circular dated the 28th of February, 1814, 
and issued over the signatures of seven members 
of the bodies organized by Cerneau, it was as- 
serted that the Council of Princes of Jerusalem 
Concordia Crescimus and Aurora Grata Lodge 



THE SUPREME COUNCIL, N. M. J. 25 

of Perfection were irregular, and that "some 
individuals who had assisted in these irregular 
proceedings, convinced of their error, applied for 
and received the degrees depending on this Con- 
sistory." The "some individuals" consisted of 
Thomas Lownds, who had been installed Grand 
Master of the Lodge of Perfection and who 
violated his obligation by going over to the 
Cerneau camp and taking with him the charter 
of the Lodge. His name appears promptly 
thereafter as "Grand Inspector of the Thirty- 
third degree" among the "Supreme Chiefs of 
Exalted Masonry," and there are those who sur- 
mise that this rank among them was the price 
paid for broken faith. This episode is treated 
in the following words in a document issued by 
the Supreme Council at Charleston under date 
of the 5th of September, 1814: "Those acts of 
some l individuals ' as alluded to in the elaborate 
pamphlet, when investigated, will be found to 
be the proceedings of one individual, who may be 
noted by his having repaid kindness by going over 
to Mr. Cerneau's Grand Society, and refusing 
afterwards to give up and return the warrant then 
in his possession as Grand Master of the Sublime 
Grand Lodge of Perfection the Aurora Grata." 
Opposite the name of Thomas Lownds in the 
register kept by 111. John James Joseph Gourgas 



26 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

is the word Traitor in Bro. Gourgas's own hand- 
writing. 

Owing to these irregularities and the contro- 
versies to which they gave rise 111. Emanuel de la 
Motta, Treasurer-General H. E. of the Charles- 
ton Supreme Council, deemed it advisable to 
establish the second Supreme Council for the 
United States as provided by the Constitutions 
of 1786 of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite. 
On the 5th of August, 1813, he met in New York 
111. Bros. Sampson Simsonand John James Joseph 
Gourgas, informed them of his determination to 
establish another Supreme Council in conform- 
ity to the Frederick Constitutions, and invited 
them to assist in that all-important duty. De 
la Motta made them acquainted with the Thirty- 
third degree and proclaimed them as lawful Most 
Puissant Sovereign Grand Inspectors General 
of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite. They 
three then formed themselves into a provisional 
Supreme Council of the Thirty-third degree, as 
follows : 

Emanuel de la Motta, M. Puis. Sov. Gr. Commander. 
Sampson Simson, M. 111. Ins. Lieut. Gr. Commander. 
John James Joseph Gourgas, M. 111. Gr. Secretary- 
General H. E. 

They then introduced separately, one after 



THE SUPREME COUNCIL, N. M. J. 27 

the other, the following Most Illustrious Breth- 
ren: 

Daniel D. Tompkins, Rose Croix, K-H., S. P. R. S. 
Richard Riker, Rose Croix, K-H, S. P. R. S. 
John Gabriel Tardy, Deputy Gr. Inspector General. 
Moses L. M. Peixotto, Deputy Gr. Inspector General. 

When they had severally and singly gone 
through the regular order and form of reception 
they were formally acknowledged and pro- 
claimed lawful Sovereign Grand Inspectors Gen- 
eral of the Thirty-third degree. 

By virtue of priority 111. Bros. Simson and 
Gourgas were privileged to fill the first two offices 
of the Supreme Council, but they waived their 
right and prerogative and the first officers of the 
Supreme Council for the Northern Masonic Juris- 
diction of the United States were selected as 
follows : 

Daniel D. Tompkins, M. 111. Sov. Gr. Commander. 

Sampson Simson, M. 111. Inspector Lieut. Gr. Com- 
mander. 

John G. Tardy, M. 111. Gr. Treasurer-General H. E. 

John James Joseph Gourgas, M. 111. Gr. Secretary- 
General H. E. 

Richard Riker, HI. Gr. Master of Ceremonies. 

Moses L. M. Peixotto, HI. Captain of the Guard. 



28 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

111. Bro. De la Motta then proclaimed them 
as "lawfully formed, organized and established 
at the Grand East of the City of New York, 
State of New York, and the only Grand and 
Supreme Council of the Most Puissant Sovereign 
Grand Inspectors General of the Thirty-third 
degree which may legally and constitutionally 
exist for the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction of 
the United States of North America; and for 
them as such and their legal successors ever to 
enjoy in future all and every their sovereign 
powers, rights and prerogatives lawfully per- 
taining to them as Supreme Chiefs of Ancient 
and Modern Free and Accepted Masonry, over 
the surface of the two hemispheres, conformably 
to the Grand Constitutions, etc." 

On September 21st of the same year, 111. Bro. 
De la Motta published another proclamation, this 
one referring specifically to the establishment of 
Concordia Crescimus Council of Princes of Jeru- 
salem and Aurora Grata Lodge of Perfection: 

To all to whom these letters shall come: 

Union, Contentment, Wisdom 

Know ye, That we, the undersigned Emanuel de la 
Motta, K-H, Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret, Sover- 
eign Grand Inspector-General of the Thirty-third degree, 
Illustrious Treasurer-General of the Holy Empire, in the 



PROCLAMATION BY SUPREME COUNCIL 29 

United States of America, by and in virtue of our high 
powers, rights and prerogatives, also under the immediate 
and special protection of the aforesaid Grand and Supreme 
Council of the Most Puissant Sovereign Grand Inspectors 
General of the Thirty-third degree, sitting at Charleston, 
S. C, and in their place and stead: Having been applied 
to by our most Illustrious and well-beloved Brethren, 
John James Joseph Gourgas, John Gabriel Tardy, Moses 
Levy Maduro Peixotto, merchants, Deputy Inspectors 
General and Grand Masters (under the old system of 1762) ; 
His Excellency Daniel D. Tompkins, Governor of the State 
of New York, Richard Riker and Sampson Simson, Coun- 
sellors at Law, all of them Masters and Past Masters of 
Symbolic Lodges, etc., etc., etc., Royal Arch Masons, 
Grand Elect, Perfect and Sublime Masons, etc., etc., etc., 
Princes of Jerusalem, etc., etc., etc., Sovereign Princes of 
R-^ of H-R-D-M, etc., etc., etc., to examine and investi- 
gate particular: 

First, Their patents, powers and other documents by 
means of which the Thrice Illustrious Brethren John Gabriel 
Tardy, John B. Desdoity, John James Joseph Gourgas, 
Pierre Adrien Du Peyrot and Lewis De Saulles, R-^, K-H, 
S. P. R. S., Inspectors, etc., etc., etc., on the 6th day of 
August, 1806, did first form and establish in this City of 
New York a sublime Grand Consistory of Sublime Princes 
of the Royal Secret, 30th, 31st and 32d degrees; 

Secondly, That on the 3d day of November, 5808, the 
Grand Council of the Most Excellent and Most Valorous 
Princes of Jerusalem was lawfully opened in the City of 
New York by and in the presence of the Thrice Puissant 
and Most Illustrious Brethren John G. Tardy, John B. 
Desdoity, John James Joseph Gourgas, Moses Levy 



30 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

Maduro Peixotto, R->& S. P. R. S,, Deputy Inspectors 
General K-H, aided and assisted by nine Most Excellent 
Princes of Jerusalem; 

Thirdly, That on the 6th day of November, 5808, a 
warrant of constitution passed the seal of the aforesaid 
Grand Council of Princes of Jerusalem for the establish- 
ment in this City of a Sublime Grand Lodge of Grand Elect, 
Perfect and Sublime Masons under the distinct appella- 
tion of Aurora Grata; 

Fourthly, The several communications relative thereto 
which at different times had been addressed by them to 
the Grand and Supreme Council of the Most Puissant 
Sovereigns, Grand Inspectors General of the Thirty-third 
degree at Charleston, S. C; 

Fifthly and finally, Their proceedings during the very 
unpleasant and delicate circumstances which had para- 
lyzed them, as it were, from their commencement and 
prevented them through prudence, caution and the good 
of the illustrious Order in general from getting into full 
operation until the period at which they might with every 
propriety make good and ensure their claim, sanctioned by 
lawful authority; 

In consequence whereof I do hereby most solemnly 
declare that having found the whole of their patents, 
powers and other documents relative thereto perfectly 
lawful, their conduct and proceedings in every point of 
view regular and praiseworthy, and having been waited 
upon by a grand deputation, I, the undersigned, in my 
aforesaid capacity, attended a meeting of their Sublime 
Grand Consistory at which, after a minute investigation 
and full inspection of all things whatever relative thereto, 
being independent of all other things, fully convinced that 



PROGRESS OF THE RITE 31 

they were the oldest possessors and real founders of the 
Superior Degree of Masonry at this Grand East of New 
York, I signed their registers, patents and all other papers 
and documents thereto belonging, on the 5th day of August, 
1813. 

Interest in the new bodies was limited in 
extent, for it was intended that the higher 
degrees of the Scottish Rite should be conferred 
only on the zealous Mason and student capable 
of appreciating the higher arcana unfolded in 
them. In 1822 Giles Fonda Yates became 
interested in Ineffable Lodge of Perfection and 
the Grand Council of Princes of Jerusalem 
founded at Albany in 1767, and established 
four other Lodges of Perfection in neighboring 
towns. In 1824 a Consistory was organized at 
Albany, and bodies of the Ancient Accepted 
Scottish Rite were established at Boston in the 
same year. The following year Joseph McCosh, 
a special deputy of the Southern Supreme Coun- 
cil, conferred the Thirty-third degree upon Yates, 
who in 1828 took the oath of fealty to and 
became a member of the Supreme Council for 
the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction. 

"the ruthless hand of ignorance" 

In 1826 a book entitled Illustrations of Free- 
masonry was printed at Batavia, New York, and 



32 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

one William Morgan was credited with its author- 
ship. A short time afterward Morgan disap- 
peared, and the Fraternity was charged with 
his murder. The disappearance of Morgan was 
eagerly and successfully seized upon by a num- 
ber of local politicians who sought preferment by 
raising a hue and cry against Masonry. From 
western New York State the anti-Masonic excite- 
ment spread until it became a mighty political 
wave, wreaking destruction on the Order on 
every hand. No less than a hundred and forty 
anti-Masonic newspapers sprang up throughout 
the country, and the hysteria seized upon hun- 
dreds of thousands of men on every level of poli- 
tical, social, and commercial life. Among the 
most violent defamers of the Craft were those 
who withdrew from their lodges, and for politi- 
cal advancement and popular applause reviled 
their Masonic brethren and joined rabidly in 
the cry against the institution. Cadwallader 
D. Colden, Senior Grand Warden of the Grand 
Lodge for five years, and who owed much of his 
professional and political success to members of 
the Fraternity, threw himself into the arena and 
denounced the institution in the severest terms; 
but he failed to reach the goal of his ambition — 
the office of Governor of the State. The follow- 
ing figures tell the extent of the havoc : In 1826 



EMERGING FROM THE ECLIPSE 33 

there were about five-hundred lodges on the roll 
of the Grand Lodge of the State of New York; in 
1846 there were but sixty-five. In 1835 only 
forty-nine lodges were represented in Grand 
Lodge. In Vermont every lodge either surren- 
dered its charter or became dormant. 



EMERGING FROM THE ECLIPSE 

Sublime Freemasonry did not escape the fury, 
for Masons professing the high degrees were even 
more to be persecuted than members of Sym- 
bolic lodges only. As early as 1841, however, 111. 
Bros. Gourgas and Yates conferred together and 
opened correspondence with others of the Rite 
with a view to resuming active work. Gourgas 
had become Sovereign Grand Commander and 
Yates Lieutenant Grand Commander under the 
law of succession of the Scottish Rite, and in 
1844 they crowned four Sovereign Grand Inspec- 
tors General and proclaimed them members of 
the Supreme Council for the Northern Masonic 
Jurisdiction. Other members were added in 
1845, charters were granted for new bodies and 
dormant lodges were revived. 

At the meeting of the Supreme Council held 
the 4th of September, 1851, 111. Bro. Gourgas 
resigned as Grand Commander and was succeeded 



34 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

by Yates. The following day Yates resigned the 
office of Grand Commander and Edward A. 
Raymond was installed as his successor. 

In April, 1852, the Supreme Council published 
the following decree : 

Whereas by a resolution heretofore adopted Grand Coun- 
cils of Princes of Jerusalem were required to inspect and 
watch over Lodges of Perfection within their respective 
districts; and whereas since the adoption of such regula- 
tion this Supreme Council has decreed the appointment 
of District Deputies who are charged with the performance 
of like duties, therefore, 

Decreed that the aforesaid regulation be and the same is 
hereby rescinded. 

Thereafter warrants for subordinate bodies of 
whatever degree have emanated from the Su- 
preme Council. This has permitted a closer regu- 
lation of the subordinate bodies for the general 
good of the Rite, has allowed the keeping of 
statistical and other records, and the unifica- 
tion of rituals and work. 



progress; dissension; harmony 

In 1848 Bro. Yates and four others received 
from the Supreme Council a warrant for a Lodge 
of Perfection, a Grand Council of Princes of 
Jerusalem, and a Chapter of Rose Croix in New 



progress; dissension; harmony 35 

York City. These bodies brought together many 
nonaffiliated Scottish Rite Masons of the vicinity, 
and they were so successful in their work that 
several brothers, headed by M. W. William H. 
Milnor, Grand Master of Masons in the State of 
New York, petitioned and received a warrant 
for another Lodge of Perfection and Council of 
Princes of Jerusalem in 1852. Up to this time 
the Supreme Council was most harmonious and 
the Rite was slowly but satisfactorily extending; 
but when the future seemed most rosy a con- 
troversy grew out of Grand Commander Ray- 
mond's contention that all the powers of Fred- 
erick were vested in him as Grand Commander, 
while other members maintained that they rested 
in the Supreme Council as a body. In August, 
1860, the break came. A discussion arose in the 
Council, when Raymond declared "there are 
unmistakable indications of insubordination, and 
a manifest disposition on the part of certain 
members to disregard their constitutional obli- 
gations and usurp the power and authority of 
the Sovereign Grand Commander, ' ' and thereupon 
closed the Supreme Council. Several of the 
Inspectors General who attended the session felt 
that the Sovereign Grand Commander had acted 
arbitrarily, and upon the advice of Gourgas 
reopened the Supreme Council and proceeded 



36 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

with the business. Raymond disregarded what- 
ever action was taken after he had closed the 
Council, and both parties published Proceedings 
for 1860. 

Both of these factions continued to confer 
degrees and operate as a Supreme Council. 
Raymond remained at the head of his followers, 
and in 1862 Killian H. Van Rensselaer waselected 
Grand Commander of the other body, each using 
the name "Supreme Council for the Northern 
Masonic Jurisdiction. " At a session of the Ray- 
mond body held on the 15th of December, 1860, 
the Thirty-third degree was conferred upon 
Charles T. McClenachan of New York, a name 
most intimately associated with Scottish Rite 
Masonry thereafter, and with the Aurora Grata 
bodies in particular. 

In spite of the controversies between these 
contending bodies they waxed strong and had 
large accessions of distinguished and prominent 
Masons. At this time there were three Supreme 
Councils claiming jurisdiction over the Northern 
part of the United States — the two factions of 
the Supreme Council over which 111. John James 
Joseph Gourgas had served as Sovereign Grand 
Commander, and a body styled the "Supreme 
Council, etc., for the United States of North 
America, its Territories and Dependencies, " and 



UNION OF SUPREME COUNCILS 37 

claiming descent from Joseph Cerneau. This 
body, presided over by Edmund B. Hays, made 
overtures to the Raymond body for a union of 
the two as early as April, 1862, and committees 
were appointed by each for the purpose of effect- 
ing a consolidation. In January, 1863, both 
bodies gave their committees full power to act, 
and on the 7th of February of the same year 
articles of union were adopted consolidating the 
two Councils. On April 15th following Hays was 
agreed upon as Sovereign Grand Commander 
and proceeded to install the officers. Edward 
A. Raymond became Associate Sovereign Grand 
Commander, and Simon W. Robinson, who had 
remained with Raymond at the time of the dis- 
ruption of the Northern Supreme Council, 
became First Lieutenant-Commander. In recent 
years the claim has been made (for a purpose) 
that the Raymond body was merged into and 
healed by the Hays body. This is disproved by 
the articles of union, which explicitly state that 
the two Supreme Councils were "consolidated 
upon terms honorable and just alike to all parties 
interested therein," and by the further facts that 
all members of the old bodies were required to 
take the oath of fealty to the united Council, 
and that subordinate bodies were required to 
take out new charters. In addition to this the 



38 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

fact that the officers were installed again into 
offices already held by them under the ad vitam 
tenure most effectually disposes of this claim. 

In his address to his Supreme Council in 1862, 
Van Rensselaer referred to the adhesion of the 
New York bodies to the Raymond Council and 
stated that upon consultation with many worthy 
brethren of that city he had decided to act upon an 
application for warrants for bodies in New York, 
and in May of that year had issued to a number 
of brethren, among whom were two Past Grand 
Masters of Masons in the State (William H. Mil- 
nor and Joseph D. Evans) a dispensation to open 
a Consistory in New York city. At the same 
session the Supreme Council ordered that dis- 
pensations be granted to the members of the new 
Consistory empowering them to organize a Grand 
Lodge of Perfection, a Council of Princes of 
Jerusalem, and a Chapter of Rose Croix. The 
following year Joseph D. Evans was crowned 
Sovereign Grand Inspector General, Thirty-third 
degree, and elected an active member of the Van 
Rensselaer Supreme Council. Upon the applica- 
tion of Joseph D. Evans, 33°, Van Rensselaer 
granted to Bros. William J. Munn, William A. 
Evans, Thomas Bishop, Charles Hodges, William 
T. Colbron, and Joseph D. Evans, 33°, a dispen- 
sation under date of the 19th of May, 1866, to 



VAN RENSSELAER BODIES IN BROOKLYN 39 

open and hold a Lodge of Perfection in the city 
of Brooklyn under the name of Lily Grand Lodge 
of Perfection; and upon application of the same 
brothers he granted a dispensation for a Coun- 
cil of Princes of Jerusalem in Brooklyn to be 
known as Rabboni Council of Princes of Jeru- 
salem. These bodies were organized on the 
15th of June of the same year. 





AURORA GRATA REVIVED 

N the meantime 111. Charles T. 
McClenachan, 33°, Grand Mas- 
ter-General of Ceremonies of the 
Hayes-Raymond Council, had 
applied to 111. Orrin Welch, 33°, 
Deputy for the State of New 
York, for authority to confer the degrees of 
the Rite upon sixteen Master Masons of Brooklyn 
and revive Aurora Grata Lodge of Perfection, 
whose charter was now in the possession of 111. 
Daniel Sickels, 33°. A dispensation to reopen 
Aurora Grata Lodge of Perfection and confer 
degrees was granted by the Deputy on the 31st 
of March, 1866. Dispensations quickly followed 
for a Council of Princes of Jerusalem, a Chapter 
of Rose Croix, and a Consistory, all bearing the 
name Aurora Grata. On the 19th of April, 
1866, Aurora Grata Council of Princes of Jeru- 



42 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

salem and Chapter of Rose Croix were convened 
at the rooms of Montauk Lodge, 13 Court street, 
and regularly opened by 111. Charles T. McClena- 
chan, 33°, with the assistance of Bros. Daniel 
Sickels, 33°, Ebenezer Shaw, 33°, Charles W. Wil- 
lets, 33°, William T. Anderson, 32°, George W. 
Stebbins, 32°, Frederick B. Swift, 32°, and 
William Draper, 32°. The following thirteen 
Grand Elect Masons, members of Aurora Grata 
Lodge of Perfection, were then introduced and 
received the Fifteenth and Sixteenth degrees by 
communication: John H. Rhodes, Edward H. 
Craige, William H. Wallace, L. Horatio Biglow, 
Colin Lightbody, Jr., James Armstrong, John 
Ferguson, John N. Wyckoff, Jr., William M. 
Little, Edwin Gates, C. H. Pelletreau, Jr., H. S. 
Archer, James Kain, John T. Ellis, and John H. 
Wood. 111. Bro. McClenachan delivered to them 
the dispensation for the formation of the Council 
of Princes of Jerusalem, and officers were named 
for the ensuing year. The Council was then closed 
and a Chapter of Rose Croix duly opened. The 
Princes of Jerusalem just created were intro- 
duced, received the Seventeenth and Eighteenth 
degrees by communication, and the dispensation 
for the establishment of Aurora Grata Chapter of 
Rose Croix was placed in their hands by 111. 
Bro. McClenachan. Five days later, 22d of 



AURORA GRATA CONSISTORY 43 

April, the Chapter of Rose Croix was convened 
at the same place and officers were elected as 
follows : 

William T. Anderson, M. W. P. M. 
R. C. Gurney, M. E. P. K. S. W. 
William H. Wallace, M. E. P. K. J. W. 
John W. Simons, 33°, R. P. K. G. 0. 
John N. Wyckoff, Jr., R. P. K. G. S. 
C. H. Pelletreau, Jr., R. P. K. G. T. 

By virtue of the dispensation he held 111. Bro. 
McClenachan convened a Consistory of the An- 
cient Accepted Scottish Rite at the Montauk 
lodge rooms on the 12th of May, assisted by the 
same illustrious brethren who had aided him in 
the establishment of the Council of Princes of 
Jerusalem and the Chapter of Rose Croix. The 
degrees from the Nineteenth to the Thirty-second 
inclusive were then conferred by communication 
upon Bros. John H. Rhodes, Edward H. Craige, 
William H. Wallace, L. Horatio Biglow, John N. 
Wyckoff, Jr., William M. Little, Edwin Gates, 
C. H. Pelletreau, Jr., Colin Lightbody, Jr., James 
Armstrong, John Ferguson, H. S. Archer, and 
John T. Ellis. Bro. McClenachan delivered to 
them the dispensation for a Consistory, officers 
were named and the Consistory closed. 

Ten days later, Tuesday the 22d of May, the 



44 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

Council of Princes was again opened and officers 
elected for the ensuing year as follows : 

Edwin Gates, M. E. S. P. G. M. 
William M. Little, G. H. P. S. D. 
James Kain, M. E. S. G. W. 
John T. Ellis, M. E. J. G. W. 
John N. Wyckoff, Jr., Gr. Secy. 
C. H. Pelletreau, Jr., Gr. Treas. 

The Consistory was then opened by Bro. Mc- 
Clenachan and officers elected, with the follow- 
ing result: 

John H. Rhodes, Commander-in-Chief. 

L. Horatio Biglow, First Lieut.-Commander. 

Edwin Gates, Second Lieut.-Commander. 

John W. Simons, 33°, Grand Orator. 

John N. Wyckoff, Jr., Grand Secretary. 

C. H. Pelletreau, Jr., Grand Treasurer. 

Daniel Sickels, 33°, Grand Hospitaler. 



CHARLES W. WILLETS 

The name of 111. Charles W. Willets, 33°, will 
be noted among the brethren into whose hands 
these dispensations were placed. Willets was 
a restive soul and had a varied Masonic career. 
He was a member of Benevolent Lodge No. 142 
under whose warrant a number of brethren who 



ST. JOHN'S GRAND LODGES 45 

had been disciplined by the Grand Lodge inl837 
formed a union in September of that year under 
the name of St. John's Grand Lodge of the State 
of New York. This body was promptly declared 
clandestine, but for thirteen years it maintained 
an active existence, until its union with the 
Grand Lodge of the State of New York in Decem- 
ber, 1850. On this occasion, Charles W. Willets, 
now Master of Benevolent Lodge No. 1, under the 
jurisdiction of St. John's Grand Lodge, acted as 
special aid. But peace and harmony were not 
to prevail long. The times seemed out of joint 
Masonically: contumacy to the edicts of the 
Grand Lodge was common, obligations were not 
revered, and a sense of Masonic fraternity and 
honor seemed to be quite wanting. Three years 
later, 1853, Henry C. Atwood became displeased 
with the election of Reuben H. Walworth as 
Grand Master and gave notice of his withdrawal 
from the Grand Lodge > calling upon the lodges 
that formerly composed the St. John's Grand 
Lodge to follow him. In September of this year 
Atwood, Willets and a number of others were 
again expelled by the Grand Lodge of the State 
of New York. This second St. John's Grand 
Lodge continued in existence until 1859. Willets 
became Grand Secretary, but this body was not 
destined to become so formidable nor survive 



46 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

so long as its predecessor. Early in June, 
1859, John W. Simons presented the petitions 
of Bros. Willets and Daniel Sickels for restora- 
tion in the Grand Lodge of the State of New 
York, and they were restored to their former 
rights. The organization disbanded, their 
lodges were united with those of the Grand Lodge 
of the State of New York, and their members 
were remade in their separate lodges. 111. Bro. 
Willets died on the 10th of March, 1873. 

WORK BEGINS AGAIN 

Immediately after the election and installa- 
tion of officers a committee was appointed to 
ascertain what paraphernalia, etc., would be 
required for the proper conferring of the degrees 
in the new bodies. A lump initiation fee of 
thirty-five dollars was fixed upon for the four 
bodies of the Rite now working in Brooklyn and 
the annual dues were fixed at nine dollars, of 
which the Lodge of Perfection was to be credited 
with four dollars, the Council of Princes and the 
Chapter of Rose Croix two dollars each, and the 
Consistory one dollar, all moneys to be collected 
and disbursed by the Consistory. It was further 
provided that all properties needed for any of the 
four bodies should be acquired by the Consistory, 



ESTABLISHMENT OF THE MYSTIC SHRINE 47 

and that the Consistory should engage a meeting 
place. 

In March, 1867, the new bodies were conse- 
crated and dedicated, and at the same meeting 
Commander-in-Chief John H. Rhodes tendered 
his resignation. Upon taking a vote for a new 
officer in his stead all the ballots except three 
bore the name of the former Commander-in- 
Chief; but he insisted upon withdrawing, and 
111. Charles W. Willets, 33°, was elected the 
second Commander-in-Chief of Aurora Grata 
Consistory. 

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE MYSTIC SHRINE 

On Sunday the 21st of April, 1867, the Lodge 
of Perfection held a special meeting at the Metro- 
politan Hotel at two o'clock in the afternoon for 
the purpose of conferring the Ineffable degrees 
by communication upon Bro. William J. Florence 
who was "about to depart for Europe/' as the 
minutes say. There were present 111. Bro. 
McClenachan and one other member of the Su- 
preme Council for the Northern Masonic Jurisdic- 
tion, two from the Southern, and a number of 
members of Aurora Grata. The degrees of the 
Council, Chapter, and Consistory were con- 
ferred upon Bro. Florence before his departure. 



48 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

This was the trip made by him to the Old World 
preceding the establishment of the Ancient Ara- 
bic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine in 
the United States. Bro. Florence brought back 
monitorial, historical, and explanatory manu- 
scripts and communicated the secrets of the 
Order to Dr. Walter M. Fleming of Aurora 
Grata Consistory, who was empowered to intro- 
duce and establish the Order in America. It 
was determined to confer the Order only on 
Freemasons, and on the 16th of June, 1871, four 
Knights Templar and seven members of Aurora 
Grata Consistory, Thirty-second degree, were 
made acquainted with the secrets of the Order 
by Dr. Fleming and Bro. Florence. It was 
decided to engage in the establishment of the 
Order and on the 26th of September, 1872, the 
organization was effected and officers elected. 
Nine of the thirteen founders of the Mystic 
Shrine in the United States were members of the 
Aurora Grata bodies. 

REMOVAL TO FULTON STREET 

In December, 1867, came the first rejection — 
of a Master Mason giving his occupation as 
"laborer" and his address as the Fifth Avenue 
hotel. After a prolonged investigation the com- 



REMOVAL TO FULTON STREET 49 

mittee reported, " we do not think him a suitable 
candidate." 

It was now decided to move from the meeting 
place in Court street, and a committee was 
authorized to engage rooms over the Dime Sav- 
ings Bank, 355 Fulton street, at an annual rental 
of six hundred and fifty dollars. The cost of 
fitting up exceeded thirty-nine hundred dollars, 
of which the sum of twenty-four hundred dollars 
was made up by loans from the brethren as fol- 
lows : Bros. Willets, Armstrong, Rhodes, Sickels, 
Anderson, Wyckoff, Lightbody, Wallace, Atkin- 
son, and Little contributed two hundred dollars 
each; Bros. King, Biglow, Gates, and Hopper one 
hundred dollars each; and Bro. Peck fifty dollars. 
After making up the balance the total amount 
remaining in the treasury of the Consistory — 
which meant all four bodies — was but seventy 
dollars and thirty cents. The members were 
summoned by letter and by advertisement in 
the Brooklyn daily papers to meet at the new 
rooms for the first time on the 6th of November, 
1867. No candidates were advanced, but a new 
secretary, Bro. E. O. Burling, was elected in 
place of Bro. John N. Wyckoff, Jr., who had not 
been quite so regular in his attendance as it is 
thought a secretary should be. Bro. Burling 
served for two years, and never were Masonic 



50 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

minute books kept in a more elaborate style. 
The pages of his books are a constant reminder 
of engrossed resolutions. Purple, red, black, and 
gold were used in combination with fancy letter- 
ing, freehand flourishes and ornamentation to an 
extent which must have required a great deal of 
his time. He was not the ideal secretary, how- 
ever, for after two years of service his accounts 
were found to be in such confusion that a special 
committee on Membership and Disputed Dues 
was appointed to straighten them out. 111. Bro. 
Daniel Sickels, 33°, chairman of this committee, 
offered a resolution to the effect that "inasmuch 
as the records are acknowledged to be incomplete 
for a large portion of the past three years, each 
member's statement of his payment and active 
position should be accepted, and the proper 
balance and entries made, to continue there- 
from in due form." 

THE UNION OF ? SIXTY-SEVEN 

On the 17th of May, 1867, the two rival 
Supreme Councils for the Northern Masonic 
Jurisdiction settled upon terms of consolida- 
tion, each unanimously agreeing to give up its 
separate existence and to become constituent 
parts of the new Council known as the Supreme 
Council for the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction of 



THE UNION OF 'SIXTY-SEVEN 51 

the United States. Thus were amicable rela- 
tions established between these two grand bodies 
and, at the same time, between the Aurora Grata 
bodies and Lily Lodge of Perfection and Rabboni 
Council of Princes of Jerusalem established in 
Brooklyn by the Van Rensselaer Supreme Coun- 
cil. In September four members of Rabboni 
Council of Princes were received into Aurora 
Grata Chapter of Rose Croix, among them being 
Henry T. Bragg, who became a most valuable 
member to the Aurora Grata bodies during the 
next few years. The Consistorial grades were 
conferred upon these brethren in Aurora Grata 
Consistory the next month, and Aurora Grata 
Lodge of Perfection tendered to Lily Lodge of 
Perfection and Rabboni Council of Princes the 
free use of their rooms until those bodies could 
obtain suitable quarters for themselves. The 
outcome was that in February, 1869, 111. Joseph 
D. Evans, 33°, and three others were authorized 
to petition Aurora Grata Lodge of Perfection and 
Council of Princes for the affiliation of their 
members with the Aurora Grata bodies, and an 
arrangement was made by which ten of the 
total membership of twenty-three were affiliated 
with Aurora Grata Lodge of Perfection. Rab- 
boni Council of Princes transferred to Aurora 
Grata Council all of its properties, and Lily 



52 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

Lodge of Perfection transferred to Aurora Grata 
Chapter of Rose Croix all of its properties for the 
initiation of six members into the Chapter with- 
out fee. An exception was made in the person of 
Bro. Thomas B. Tilton, it being agreed that he 
should serve one year as organist of the Aurora 
Grata bodies in lieu of payment of initiation fee 
in the Rose Croix Chapter. 

The large and exquisitely carved Ark of the 
Covenant now used by us is one of the properties 
acquired by Aurora Grata by this consolidation. 

JOSEPH D. EVANS 

111. Joseph D. Evans, 33°, who thus became 
identified with Aurora Grata, was a Past Grand 
Master of Masons in the State of New York, 
having occupied the Grand East in 1854 and 
1855. He was born in New York city in 1807, 
and it was his early intention to become a clergy- 
man, but he went into mercantile life in Virginia 
in his early twenties and achieved signal success 
in the tobacco business. He was made a Mason 
in Marshall Lodge No. 39 in Lynchburg, Vir- 
ginia, in 1842. The year 1850 finds him in 
Brooklyn, where he affiliated with Anglo-Saxon 
Lodge No. 137, of which he became Master in 
1852 — his second occupancy of the East, for he 




^^^^^^ jz: 



JOSEPH D. EVANS 53 

was Master of St. John's Lodge No. 36 in Rich- 
mond four years before. 

His Masonic record in New York is full of 
interest and marks him as a most energetic and 
able worker, being among the organizers and the 
first Master of Prince of Orange Lodge No. 16, 
of Hill Grove No. 450 and of Mistletoe No. 647. 
Bro. Evans took an active part in the adjust- 
ment of the Grand Lodge troubles of 1849, and 
the constitutional legislation inaugurated by him 
in 1857 was the keynote to that harmonious 
union which was effected the following year. It 
was he who put into operation the system of 
Grand Representatives between the several 
Masonic grand bodies of the world, and which 
has conduced so largely to an interchange of 
fraternal relations and information respecting 
the Craft in all countries. 

His name is stamped on the records of Capitu- 
lar, Cryptic, and Chivalric Masonry, but his 
crowning labor was performed in the Scottish 
Rite. He was advanced to the highest honors 
of the Rite in 1862, being crowned an active 
member of the Supreme Council in that year, 
and at the time of his death he was Grand Minis- 
ter of State . He took a prominent part in effect- 
ing the "Union of 1867' ' and in planting the 
Supreme Council upon its present solid founda- 



54 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

tion. "The Scottish Rite never had a truer 
friend nor warmer advocate than he. His life, 
extending over eighty years, has been one free 
from spot or blemish — a citizen without re- 
proach/ ' 

SIMON WIGGIN ROBINSON 

At the Consistorial rendezvous held the 25th of 
November, 1868, official notice was received of 
the death of Most 111. Simon Wiggin Robinson, 
33°, under whose hand as Sovereign Grand Com- 
mander the warrants of the Aurora Grata 
Council, Chapter, and Consistory were issued. 
Departing this life at the age of seventy-six 
years he held the respect of the Craft to which 
he had rendered long and faithful service. He 
had received the highest honors in the gift of his 
brethren, having been Grand Master of Masons 
in Massachusetts, Grand High Priest of the Grand 
Royal Arch Chapter of the same State, and 
Grand Commander of the Grand Commandery of 
Massachusetts and Rhode Island. 

ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP 

By the Constitutions of 1762 it was provided 
that a subordinate Consistory could not consist 
of more than fifteen members, including officers. 



ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP 55 

In the General Statutes and Regulations of 1861 
the provision was as follows: 

The number of active members of a Lodge of Perfection 
shall not exceed twenty-seven, including officers, and the 
number of active members of a Consistory shall not exceed 
twenty-five, officers included; but either of said bodies may 
create at pleasure honorary, affiliated or emeritus members, 
who shall be entitled to a voice in their deliberations, 
but not to vote. Either of said bodies may appoint a 
member of the requisite grade temporarily to office, but 
such appointment shall not confer any right to vote. 
Provided, also, that a Lodge of Perfection shall not be 
opened unless there be present five active members, 
including one of the first four officers, and a Consistory of 
S. P. R. S. shall not be opened unless there be present five 
active members, including the Sov. Grand Commander or 
one of the Lieutenant Commanders. 

The brethren of Aurora Grata had been mak- 
ing members without any thought of this limi- 
tation, and perhaps most of them in total igno- 
rance of its existence . The result was that in 1868 
a considerable discussion arose as to the status 
of those who had been received into the bodies. 
The secretary had made no distinction between 
the candidates, and it was not clear whether 
the active members were to be selected from 
among their number by ballot, by the choice of 
the presiding officer or Deputy, or in some 
other manner. They decided to meet the issue 



56 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

squarely, however, and in December, 1868, 
boldly declared that "all persons who have been 
proposed, elected and receiving the degrees in 
these bodies shall be and are active members, 
and the recorder is ordered to enter such deci- 
sion on the minutes" — thus expressing by their 
action what was upon a famous occasion voiced 
in the words, "What's a little thing like the 
Constitution between friends?" 

Two years later the limitation to the number 
of active members in Lodges of Perfection and 
Consistories was stricken from the Constitutions, 
and since then all members of the subordinate 
bodies have been entitled to the same rights, 
light, and benefits. 



CHANGES IN OFFICERS 

Although the Lodge of Perfection had a very 
efficient secretary in Bro. Thomas S. Crump the 
remaining bodies were not so fortunate. It was 
provided in 1870, therefore, that Bro. Crump 
should be initiated into the other bodies without 
charge, provided he would act as secretary for 
them at least one year, and the Consistory took 
his note for the amount of the initiation fees as 
security for the performance of his part of the 



JOHN W. SIMONS 57 

agreement. The note was returned to him at 
the end of the year, when he declared himself 
clear on the books and took a dimit. Bro. 
James H. Warwick resigned as Commander- 
in-Chief of the Consistory and as Most Wise Mas- 
ter of the Rose Croix Chapter; Bro. James E. 
Conor tendered his resignation as First Lieu- 
tenant-Commander ; Bro. A. J. Warner resigned as 
Minister of State; and Bro. Henry T. Bragg 
resigned as Captain of the Guard in the Con- 
sistory. 111. Charles T. McClenachan, 33°, 
opened the Consistory on the 29th of June, 1870, 
with an attendance of ten members, not one of 
the officers being in his station. A dispensa- 
tion to hold an election to fill vacancies was pro- 
cured from 111. Orrin Welch, 33°, and 111. John 
W. Simons, 33,° was elected Commander-in- 
Chief on the first day of July. 

JOHN W. SIMONS 

This distinguished craftsman served as Com- 
mander-in-Chief of Aurora Grata Consistory 
for eighteen months, when his increasing deafness 
made it impossible for him to hear what was 
spoken in the room. He was, however, a fre- 
quent attendant at the meetings of the bodies for 
many years afterwards, although able only to 



58 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

watch, without hearing, the presentation of the 
beautiful degrees of the Rite. At his death in 
October, 1888, 111. Albert Pike, Provincial Grand 
Master of the Royal Order of Scotland, said of 
him to the Provincial Grand Lodge : 



For another death which now gives me bitter sorrow 
I was not prepared. It had long been known that the 
shadowy heralds of the Dark Fate, whom ^Eschylus calls 
the " Saviour Death, the only physician of incurable woes," 
had announced his speedy coming to a very dear and much 
loved Brother, John W. Simons of New York, and that 
this good Knight lay at the peaceful village of Central 
Valley in that State, wasted and worn and feeble, but 
with unclouded intellect, patiently awaiting the coming 
of Him at whose approch the doors of all habitations 
open. 

On the 22d day of this month of October death closed 
the patient, melancholy, loving eyes and stopped the 
beating of the great, kindly, generous, tender heart and 
made untenanted by the freed intellect the quick, active, 
alert brain of one of the foremost Freemasons of the world. 

He was born on the 8th of October, 1821, and Free- 
masonry had hoped to have and confidently counted upon 
having his services for many years more. Dying at the 
age of sixty-seven without a rival as a craftsman, for nearly 
forty years editor of the Masonic department of the New 
York Dispatch, distinguished as author and jurist, he had 
done well his work as a Mason, and might well have con- 
sidered it complete and finished; but almost until the day 
of his death he still sent out in brief letters, replete with 



JOHN W. SIMONS 59 

kindness, patience and resignation, his cheerful and loving 
thoughts. 

He was Grand Master of Masons in the State of New York 
in 1860, Grand High Priest of the Grand Royal Arch Chap- 
ter, and Grand Commander of the Grand Commandery of 
Knights Templar for that State, and for some years Grand 
Treasurer of the Grand Encampment of the United States. 

But the greatest service to Masonry was rendered by him 
as chairman and writer of the reports of the Committee 
on Correspondence of the Grand Lodge and Grand Com- 
mandery of New York. To him chiefly Symbolic Masonry 
of the United States owes what knowledge it has of the 
condition and progress of Masonry in foreign countries, 
and it owes to him also much valuable discussion of Masonic 
jurisprudence, principles and doctrines in these reports. 
For he was a discriminating student and a sound, accurate 
and logical thinker, discussing all questions in a judicial 
spirit and admirable temper, and seldom falling into error. 

He was an emeritus member of the Supreme Council 
of the Thirty-third degree for the Northern Masonic Juris- 
diction of the United States and an emeritus member of 
honor of the Supreme Council for the Southern Jurisdic- 
tion, as well as a true Knight of the Rosy Cross of the Royal 
Order of Scotland. 

Some years ago he had become very deaf, a deprivation 
which he bore with singular equanimity; notwithstanding 
which it was most painful to see him sit patiently among 
his friends, hearing nothing of their conversation, with 
quiet resignation, — most pitiful and sad and touching. 

So he lived among men, commending himself by the 
true greatness and goodness of his nature, his intellectual 
energy and his magnanimity, to the consideration, the 
esteem and love of all who knew him. 



60 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

CHAS. T. M'CLENACHAN, COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 

There were at this time three Lodges of Per- 
fection, two Councils of Princes, and three Chap- 
ters of Rose Croix in New York city and but one 
Consistory, Cosmopolitan. There sprang up a 
considerable jealousy between the different 
bodies, and strife for what was called the " con- 
trol" of Cosmopolitan Consistory. A number 
of the brethren of the New York bodies felt that 
they could not find in Cosmopolitan Consistory 
that Consistorial home which they sought and 
decided to identify themselves with Aurora 
Grata Consistory and give it their support and 
attention. The Aurora Grata bodies now had 
meeting rooms at 367 Fulton street, for which 
they engaged to pay a thousand dollars rental a 
year; but candidates w^ere infrequent — less than 
a dozen year — and the members were neither 
faithful in their attendance nor prompt in the 
payment of their dues. By the arrangement 
made in 1866, the Consistory collected and dis- 
bursed all moneys and was, in consequence, 
heavily in debt. All of the bodies owed dues 
to the Supreme Council which the Consistory 
was unable to pay for them. After passing a 
resolution authorizing the treasurer to pay over 
to the Supreme Council on account all funds in 



CHARLES T. M'CLENACHAN 61 

his possession the action was rescinded, a com- 
mittee was appointed to petition the Supreme 
Council for a remission of dues of the Aurora 
Grata bodies, and three months' rent was paid 
to appease the landlord. 

111. Charles T. McClenachan had been an 
honorary member of the Consistory since its 
foundation, and in November, 1871, Bro. James 
E. Conor proposed for active membership 111. 
Bro. McClenachan and General J. H. Hobart 
Ward, 33°. The night they were elected Bro. 
McClenachan proposed for the grades in Aurora 
Grata Consistory fourteen members of Templar 
Chapter of Rose Croix of New York, and the 
week following proposed seven more from the 
same Chapter. 

When 111. John W. Simons, 33°, resigned as 
Commander-in-Chief, 111. Daniel Sickels, 33°, 
Grand Secretary-General, presided at an election 
held the 14th of December, 1871, under dis- 
pensation from the Deputy, when 111. Bro. 
McClenachan was elected Commander-in-Chief 
and was installed by 111. Bro. Sickels. 

The accessions of members from New York 
were frequent from now on, and it was their 
custom to engage stages, which rumbled down 
Broadway, crossed the East river by Fulton 



62 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

Ferry, and proceeded up Fulton street, Brooklyn, 
to the Consistorial chambers. 

When Bro. McClenachan assumed the office of 
Commander-in-Chief the Consistory had an 
indebtedness exceeding forty-four hundred and 
fifty dollars and no assets with which to meet 
even a portion of this sum. Happily the most 
of this amount was owing to members who had 
advanced sums for fitting up the rooms they 
occupied, and for other expenses from time to 
time. A committee was appointed to confer 
with these brothers, and an agreement was 
drawn up between them and the Consistory 
cancelling and relinquishing all claims for these 
advances on certain conditions. The conditions 
agreed upon were that each of the four bodies 
should remit all indebtedness of these brothers 
to any of the bodies for dues or otherwise ; that 
each of the four bodies should make each of them 
a life member, and that each one should be 
furnished, free of expense, a proper certificate 
of life membership and a traveling certificate, 
duly signed and sealed by the proper officers of 
Aurora Grata Consistory. This agreement was 
signed by all who had advanced moneys, with 
the exception of those who had loaned but small 
amounts which were absorbed by dues. 






o#&4*<a&c 



CZ^K. 



CHARLES T. M'CLENACHAN 63 

The Roll of Honor and the amounts cancelled 
in this manner are as follows : 

Daniel Sickels, 33° . $300.00 

Charles W. Willets, 33°. 350 . 00 

James Armstrong 336 . 76 

Colin Lightbody, Jr. ... . 300 . 00 

John H. Rhodes 300 . 00 

AsherD. Atkinson 300.00 

William T. Anderson . . 200 . 00 

EdwinGates 200.00 

John N. Wyckoff, Jr . . . . 200 . 00 
William Mayo Little . . . 200 . 00 
William H. Wallace .... 200 . 00 

John M. Hopper 100 .00 

Albert H. King 100 . 00 

HenryT. Bragg 50.00 

$3,136.76 

In order to charge to each of the bodies its 
proper proportion of this sum it became neces- 
sary to establish life membership fees, which 
were fixed at fifteen dollars each for the Lodge 
of Perfection, Chapter of Rose Croix, and Con- 
sistory, and at ten dollars for the Council of 
Princes. 

The Consistory now raised its initiation fee by 
dividing the degrees into two series, the first 
comprising the eleven degrees from the Nine- 



64 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

teenth to the Twenty-ninth inclusive, and the 
second series the Thirtieth to the Thirty-second 
inclusive. The fee for the first group was fixed 
at twenty-five dollars; and it was further ordered 
that for the second series a new ballot should be 
required for each candidate, who must pay an 
additional fee of fifteen dollars if admitted. 

During the five and a half years' occupancy 
of the rooms the Consistory was the body which 
met with least frequency, yet it had borne the 
lion's share of the expenses. For instance, in 
rent alone the Consistory had paid thirty-five 
hundred and seventy-five dollars, while the 
remaining three bodies collectively had paid but 
a thousand and thirty-six. Early in 1874, there- 
fore, it was provided that each of the four bodies 
should pay a quarter of the rent and other ex- 
penses, the Consistory to continue to receive and 
disburse all moneys. 



MEETINGS IN NEW YORK CITY 

On the 31st of January, 1873, Aurora Grata 
Consistory was convened in Masonic Hall, Thir- 
teenth street, New York, and the Twenty-first 
degree was exemplified in full ceremonial form. 
The additions of members from the lower bodies 



CHARTER OF COUNCIL SUSPENDED 65 

in the Valley of New York were now so frequent 
that after the spring of 1874 the Consistory met 
alternately in New York and Brooklyn, and 
upon the dedication of the new Masonic Hall at 
Twenty-third street and Sixth avenue, Aurora 
Grata Consistory paid its share for fitting up the 
Consistorial chamber and towards the services 
of the janitor. 



CHARTER OF COUNCIL SUSPENDED 

In the meantime the Supreme Council insisted 
upon receiving the dues of the bodies, and 
although the Consistory had provided by reso- 
lution that all moneys received by the treasurer 
should be paid over immediately to the Grand 
Secretary-General, the dues of the Council of 
Princes were so far in arrears the Council was 
officially notified that unless all arrearages were 
paid promptly the charter would be revoked. A 
warrant for one hundred and eleven dollars was 
ordered drawn by the Council on the 13th of 
November, 1874, and passed to 111. Clinton F. 
Paige, 33°, Grand Secretary-General, on account 
of dues. But the treasurer failed to honor the 
draft, and on the 20th of that month the char- 
ter was suspended; and it remained suspended 



66 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

until the 15th of April, 1876, when the Supreme 
Council dues were paid to the first of July, 1875, 
by individual subscriptions of a few of the mem- 
bers. The Grand Secretary-General at once 
issued a certificate acknowledging the payment 
of dues, revoked the suspension of the Charter, 
and declared the works of Aurora Grata Council 
of Princes of Jerusalem in full force from that 
date. 



AURORA GRATA LODGE NO. 756 

Many and many have been the projects 
hatched out in the anterooms of Masonic bodies, 
and many a lodge has been started from a dis- 
cussion begun during refreshment. Among the 
topics of discussion during the fall of 1874 was a 
plan for founding a new Symbolic lodge by the 
members of the Aurora Grata bodies, and on the 
19th of October, 1874, the Lodge of Perfection 
gave the use of its rooms to twelve of its mem- 
bers who had obtained a dispensation under 
date of October 17th from M. W. Elwood E. 
Thorne, Grand Master, for Aurora Grata Lodge 
u. d. Aurora Grata Lodge of Perfection voted 
to permit its namesake the free use of the rooms 
until they should obtain a regular charter, which 



PROPOSAL TO SURRENDER CHARTER 67 

was granted in June, 1875. It was not until 
November of that year, however, that the first 
bill for rent was rendered to Aurora Grata Lodge 
No. 756, and they were so dilatory for a time 
that it became necessary to appoint a collector 
who was directed to attend the regular communi- 
cations of Aurora Grata Lodge No. 756 to make 
whatever collections he could, on which he 
received a commission of ten per cent. Aurora 
Grata Lodge No. 756 now holds its communica- 
tions in our Cathedral, and it is one of the most 
prominent Symbolic lodges in Brooklyn. 

Another tenant was added in 1875 in Olive 
Branch No. 6, Ancient and Primitive Rite, and 
two years later Brooklyn Council No. 4, Royal 
and Select Masters, became a tenant of Aurora 
Grata. 

PROPOSAL TO SURRENDER CHARTER 

On the 28th of April, 1875, a motion was put 
that even now it makes us shudder to con- 
template. It reads, " Moved and seconded that 
the members of the Lodge of Perfection be 
summoned to be present at the next regular 
communication of the Lodge for the purpose of 
considering the expediency of surrendering its 
charter. Motion carried." 



68 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

What associations cluster around that docu- 
ment which is as requisite as the Great Lights in 
opening a lodge and conducting its labors in due 
and ancient form! And how much dearer it is 
to those who have received Masonic light by vir- 
tue of it when the signatures it bears are those 
of Masons long dead and whose names are writ 
large in the annals of Masonic achievement ! Yet 
a motion was made to consider surrendering 
the charter of Aurora Grata Lodge of Perfection, 
a document written by the hand of 111. John 
James Joseph Gourgas, and which bears the 
signatures of five of the six founders of the Su- 
preme Council for the Northern Masonic Jurisdic- 
tion — signatures placed there five years before 
that Grand Body came into existence. For a 
month it hung in the balance, until the meeting 
of May 26th, when "On motion of Bro. Bragg, 
duly seconded, it was resolved that we do not 
deem it expedient to surrender the charter of 
Aurora Grata Lodge of Perfection." 

For five years Bro. Bragg was Thrice Potent 
Master of the Lodge of Perfection, and for two 
years Most Wise Master of the Rose Croix Chap- 
ter; but in all his long and faithful service he 
never did anything which places him so high in 
our affections as when he rallied the indifferent 
and callous and dragged them into the Lodge to 



EFFORTS TOWARD CONSOLIDATION 69 

support his motion, " We do not deem it expedi- 
ent to surrender the charter of Aurora Grata 
Lodge of Perfection." No one was ever prouder 
of Aurora Grata than Henry T. Bragg. The 
pity of it that he could not have lived to see her 
emerge from her sea of troubles, strengthened 
and resolute, and enter into the joy of a cloudless 
and enduring prosperity. Bro. Bragg died in 
December of 1883, on the verge of the new birth 
of Aurora Grata, and the brethren laid his life- 
less remains beneath the silent clods of the 
valley. 

"Warm summer sun, shine kindly here, 
Warm southern wind, blow softly here. 
Green sod above, lie light, lie light, 

Good night, dear heart, good night, good night." 



EFFORTS TOWARD CONSOLIDATION 

In November, 1875, the Commander-in-Chief 
was reelected for the Consist orial term of three 
years, his first administration having proved 
eminently successful. The indebtedness of forty- 
four hundred and fifty dollars had been reduced 
to four hundred and eighty-seven during the 
period of his incumbency, three hundred dollars 
of which was due to Bro. John H. Rhodes for 
money advanced by him toward the payment of 



70 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

rent. The principal events in the Consistory 
had been the presentation of the Twenty-fourth 
grade in Irving Hall on the 19th of September, 
1872, at the informal request of the Supreme 
Council, and the presentation of the Twenty- 
ninth grade in full ceremonial form at Bryant 
Hall, by request of the Deputy for the State 
and in the presence of the Council of Delibera- 
tion. These efforts cost the Consistory a very 
large sum, the amount being made up from the 
treasury of the body and by contributions from 
the members individually. 

The growth and numerical standing of Aurora 
Grata Consistory at this time are shown by the 
following table, which gives the membership of 
each Consistory in the State of New York in 
1871 and 1875, as reported to the Supreme Coun- 
cil. 

Name 1871 1875 Gain 

Albany.... 69 171 102 

Aurora Grata 71 198 127 

Cosmopolitan. . . . 128 98 30* 

Central City 53 134 81 

Corning 84 174 90 

Otseningo 69 67 2* 

Rochester 71 184 113 

totals 545 1026 

*Loss 



EFFORTS TOWARD CONSOLIDATION 71 

It will be seen from the table that the gain in 
Aurora Grata was the greatest of any in the State, 
and in addition to New York and Brooklyn can- 
didates came from the Hudson valley from time 
to time, principally from Newburgh. A party 
of nine came down from Adonai Lodge of Per- 
fection at Newburgh in April, 1876, and received 
the grades of the higher bodies in Aurora Grata. 
On the other hand Cosmopolitan Consistory 
suffered a loss of thirty members during the 
period in which Aurora Grata enjoyed a gain of 
one hundred and twenty-seven. Overtures were 
now made for the union of the two bodies, and 
following the action of Cosmopolitan Consistory 
a committee was appointed in Aurora Grata to 
arrange a basis of consolidation. The joint com- 
mittee met in Masonic Hall, New York, on the 
4th of May, 1874, adopted articles of confedera- 
tion and recommended them to the consideration 
of their respective bodies. On motion of 111. 
Edwin Gates, 33°, it was "Resolved that Aurora 
Grata consents to its Grand East being trans- 
ferred to the city of New York.' 7 This was not a 
vote to consolidate, and at a meeting of Cosmo- 
politan Consistory they too failed to ratify the 
articles of confederation. 

In August, 1876, the Supreme Council met in 
New York city and again desired Aurora Grata 



72 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

Consistory to present a degree before that 
august body. The Twenty-ninth grade was 
accordingly exemplified in full form before the 
Supreme Council and a large number of brothers 
from Oriental Consistory, Chicago, who had 
accompanied their Commander-in-chief, 111. 
Gilbert W. Barnard, 33°, on a trip to the Centen- 
nial Exposition at Philadelphia, and had come 
over to New York to join with Aurora Grata 
Consistory as escort of honor to the Supreme 
Council. The appearance of the brethren of 
Oriental Consistory in the streets in full uniform 
of the Scottish Rite excited much interest and 
comment, and a resolution was promptly passed 
in Aurora Grata adopting a bill of dress consisting 
of a double-breasted frock coat, black trousers, 
black cloth cap, Knight Templar pattern, with 
Teutonic cross and 32° worked in silver on the 
front (officers in gold), white and black sword 
belt, without chains, with silver double eagle 
clasp, — officers, gold clasp and chains. 



THE CONSOLIDATION EFFECTED 

Although Aurora Grata Consistory had been 
meeting both in Brooklyn and New York since 
January of 1873, it was discovered in 1877 that it 



THE CONSOLIDATION EFFECTED 73 

had no authority to hold a rendezvous in any- 
other place than Brooklyn, and at the session 
of the Supreme Council held in Boston in Septem- 
ber of that year action was taken allowing the 
Consistory to meet at its pleasure either in 
Brooklyn or New York. It was never convened 
in Brooklyn after that. 

At the rendezvous held on the 31st of January, 
1880, a resolution was adopted directing the 
Commander-in-Chief to appoint a committee to 
meet with a similar committee appointed two 
days earlier by Cosmopolitan Consistory to con- 
sider and report upon a plan for the consolidation 
of the two Consistories. The joint committee 
met on the 6th of February and reported back 
to their respective bodies as follows : 

Resolved that the committee is in favor of consolidating 
Cosmopolitan and Aurora Grata Consistories. 

1 The name of the united body shall be The Consis- 
tory of New York City. 

2 All members of the two Consistories shall be con- 
tinued as members of the united body, unless they shall 
express a desire to the contrary. Life and honorary 
members shall be continued as life and honorary members 
of the united body. 

3 Members who have been suspended or stricken from 
the roll of either Consistory for non-payment of dues 
shall become members of the united body on payment of 
one dollar to the united body. 



74 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

4 Both Consistories shall be absolutely free from debt 
at the time of consolidation. 

5 The Deputy of the Supreme Council for the State of 
New York shall choose by lot the body which shall nomi- 
nate the first Commander-in-Chief of the united body, and 
the right to nominate the remaining officers shall be 
alternately exercised by the two Consistories. 

6 All the properties and assets of the two Consistories 
shall become the property of the united body, and all dues 
now owing to either body shall be payable to the united 
body. 

7 The charters of the two Consistories shall be sur- 
rendered to the Deputy of the Supreme Council, at a 
meeting of the members of both, to be called for that pur- 
pose by the Deputy after he shall be informed of the adop- 
tion of these articles of union. 

The two Consistories met conjointly on the 
evening of the 26th of February, 1880, and hav- 
ing delivered their charters to the Deputy and 
elected their first officers as provided, they were 
declared consolidated, and the labors of Aurora 
Grata Consistory and Cosmopolitan Consistory 
continued in the united body under the title of 
The Consistory of New York City. 

Aurora Grata Consistory had lived less than 
fourteen years, and no subordinate body ever had 
associated with it a greater number of well- 
known and brilliant Masons in so short a period. 
On its books are enrolled the names of Joseph D. 



DOWNCAST HOURS WELCOME DAWN 75 

Evans and John W. Simons, active members of 
the Supreme Council and Past Grand Masters; 
J. Edward Simmons, honorary member of the 
Supreme Council and Past Grand Master; Daniel 
Sickels, active member of the Supreme Council 
and Grand Secretary-General; Charles T.McClen- 
achan, active member of the Supreme Council 
and Grand Master-General of Ceremonies; 
Robert M. C. Graham, active member of the 
Supreme Council and Deputy for the State of 
New York; Edward M. L. Ehlers, honorary 
member of the Supreme Council and Grand 
Secretary of the Grand Lodge of the State of 
New York. 

Her career was short, but who can deny its 
lustre? 



DOWNCAST HOURS — WELCOME DAWN 

The removal of the Consistory to New York 
and its ultimate consolidation with Cosmopolitan 
Consistory to form The Consistory of New York 
City was a severe blow to the remaining three 
Aurora Grata bodies, and it almost cost them 
their existence. Several communications of the 
Lodge of Perfection ; and Chapter of Rose Croix 
were held in New York, and in the Chap- 



76 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

ter it was "moved and seconded that a commit- 
tee of three, with the Master as chairman, be 
appointed to consider the advisability of this 
Chapter consolidating with the New York Chap- 
ter." The committee never reported. Early in 
1878 the Lodge of Perfection, Council of Princes, 
and Rose Croix Chapter gave up their rooms at 
367 Fulton street to meet in future only at the 
call of the chair, at such time and place as he 
might designate, and Bro. James E. Conor was 
made a committee of one to pack the properties 
and store them until active work could be 
resumed. In order to retain the charters the 
Aurora Grata Association was formed by Bros. 
White, Gates, Cowpland, Conor, Stiles, Sickels, 
Leach, Peters, Warner, Colo-Veloni, and Gardner, 
who mutually pledged themselves to hold the 
constitutional meetings and pay all fees to the 
Supreme Council, etc., necessary to retain the 
charters. Now and then the presiding officer 
would call a meeting for the purpose of confer- 
ring the degrees by communication upon some 
Master Mason who desired to receive the light 
of the Scottish Rite, and elections of officers 
were held pro forma as required by the Constitu- 
tions of the[Supreme Council. In 1877 there was 
only one initiate, the next year none; in 1879 
there were two. Two years then passed with- 



DOWNCAST HOURS — WELCOME DAWN 77 

out a single initiate into the bodies, while in 
the year 1882 there were only two additions. 
Early in 1883 all three bodies passed resolutions 
remitting the dues of everyone up to the first of 
January of that year and fixing the annual dues 
thereafter at one dollar in each body. 

In September of 1882, two old members of the 
bodies, John G. Barker and John B. Harris, were 
expelled by the Supreme Council from all rights 
and privileges in Scottish Rite Masonry for parti- 
cipation in the organization of the so-called Gor- 
man Supreme Council the previous year. They 
adopted the name of the old Hays-Cerneau 
Council and claimed to be its successor through 
Hopkins Thompson who, on the 27th of Septem- 
ber, 1881, declared himself vested with the 
powers which the members of the Council had 
laid down when it was merged with the Supreme 
Council for the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction in 
1863, and proclaimed the labors of the old Coun- 
cil resumed. Barker had been quite active, 
particularly in the Lodge of Perfection, and 
although notoriously incompetent as an officer of 
a Masonic body he held office in the days when 
it was difficult to get anyone to assume responsi- 
bility of any kind. He had possession of the 
warrant of the Lodge of Perfection at one time, 
and sent the annual returns to the Supreme 



78 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

Council. In these reports he appears as Thrice 
Potent Master of the Lodge of Perfection from 
1879 to 1882 inclusive, although the minute 
books do not show that he ever was Master of the 
body. 

Better days were near, however. In 1883 
interest in the bodies began to revive, twenty- 
three candidates were initiated, the membership 
rose to eighty-four, meetings became regular 
again, and the old rooms in Fulton street were 
once more occupied by the Lodge of Perfection, 
Council, and Chapter. On the first of Decem- 
ber, 1883, the day of the destructive fire in 
Masonic Hall in New York, the Lodge of Perfec- 
tion met in regular communication and conferred 
the Ineffable grades upon one candidate, Way- 
land Trask. Three months later, the 12th of 
April, 1884, John W. Richardson and Edwin D. 
Washburne received the degrees of the Lodge of 
Perfection, and after passing through the Council 
and Chapter all three went to New York, where 
the Consistorial grades were conferred upon them. 
What portentous events in the history of Aurora 
Grata are clustered around those three names! 
Who could possibly foresee the new era of pros- 
perity which they were destined to bring, the 
nobler deeds and greater achievements which 
they were to accomplish for the Rite in Brooklyn, 



WAYLAND TRASK, THRICE POTENT MASTER 79 

and that they were to follow one after the other as 
Commander-in-Chief of a new Aurora Grata Con- 
sistory which they were to found in the face of 
difficulties declared insurmountable by so many? 
At the annual meeting of the Lodge of Perfec- 
tion held in the following February, Wayland 
Trask was elected Thrice Potent Master; John 
W. Richardson, Deputy Master; and Edwin D. 
Washburne, Senior Warden, — three new men 
in the Rite, but men filled with enthusiasm and 
love for the Scottish Rite and endowed with a 
capacity for strenuous work. On the night of 
their installation the Lodge of Perfection owed 
thirty-nine dollars and sixty-nine cents and had 
not a penny in its treasury. The brethren 
present made up this sum by subscription, and 
the new administration started off even with the 
world, without debts and without money. Sat- 
urday was not deemed the best night in the week 
for their meetings if the interest and attend- 
ance of the members were to be enlisted and 
maintained, and arrangements were immediately 
made to go back to the Montauk rooms in Court 
street, this time at No. 38, and to change the 
meeting nights to the second and fourth Wednes- 
days of each month. At the first meeting of the 
Lodge of Perfection over which Wayland Trask 
presided as Thrice Potent Master, there were 



80 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

eleven candidates, all proposed by him; and 
when the year rolled around forty-six had been 
added to the roll. The next year showed a 
gain of sixty-six, the following year forty-four, 
and a hundred and nine names were added to 
the membership lists during 1887. The officers 
used every means they could devise to awaken 
interest in the Scottish Rite : new costumes and 
properties were purchased, the degrees were con- 
ferred with much more care and in a more ela- 
borate manner than ever before, new officers 
were installed by prominent Masons from other 
jurisdictions, visits were invited from active 
members of the Supreme Council, the Feast of 
St. John was celebrated at the Oriental hotel by 
a very large gathering, members of other bodies 
of the Rite were invited to visit Aurora Grata in 
numbers and confer degrees for them, and on 
one occasion the Lodge of Perfection was honored 
by a visit from Most 111. Henry L Palmer, 
Sovereign Grand Commander, accompanied by 
111. Bros. Charles T. McClenachan, Grand 
Master-General of Ceremonies, Albert P. Mori- 
arty, Assistant Grand Secretary-General, and 
William R. Higby, Grand Standard Bearer, all 
active members of the Supreme Council. An 
increase in membership and growing interest in 
the Rite resulted from these efforts. 



AURORA GRATA CATHEDRAL 81 

AURORA GRATA CATHEDRAL 

By 1887 the rooms in Court street had become 
too small to accommodate the large numbers who 
attended the regular meetings of the bodies, and 
an association was incorporated under the title 
of Aurora Grata Association of Brooklyn for the 
purpose of acquiring property and establishing a 
suitable edifice for the use of the Scottish Rite 
and other Masonic organizations. They pur- 
chased the property of the East Reformed 
Church at the corner of Bedford avenue and 
Madison street and immediately set about mak- 
ing the necessary alterations to meet the require- 
ments of Masonic work. The bodies invested 
all their available funds in stock of the Associa- 
tion and many members purchased blocks of 
stock in their desire to help in the good cause. 

On the 24th of September, 1887, the new edi- 
fice was dedicated to the service of Masonry by 
Most 111. Henry L Palmer, Sovereign Grand 
Commander. The Supreme Council of Sovereign 
Grand Inspectors General was constituted as 
follows : 

Henry L Palmer of Milwaukee, M. P. Sov. Gr. 
Commander. 

Enoch T. Carson of Cincinnati, P. Gr. Lieut. Com- 
mander. 



82 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

Joseph D. Evans of New York, Gr. Minister of State. 

John L. Stettinius of Cincinnati, Gr. Treasurer- 
General H. E. 

Clinton F. Paige of Binghamton, Gr. Secretary- 
General H. E. 

Anthony E. Stocker of Philadelphia, Gr. Prior. 

Nicholas R. Ruckle of Indianapolis, Gr. Keeper of 
the Archives. 

Charles T. McClenachan of New York, Gr. Master- 
General of Ceremonies. 

Homer S. Goodwin of Bethlehem, Pa., Gr. Marshal- 
General. 

William R. Higby of Bridgeport, Gr. Standard 
Bearer. 

Charles E. Meyer of Philadelphia, Gr. Captain of 
Guard. 

Albert P. Moriarty of New York, Assistant Gr. 
Secretary-General. 

assisted by sixteen honorary members of the 
Supreme Council of the Thirty-third degree. 

Wayland Trask, 33°, Thrice Potent Master of 
the Lodge of Perfection, tendered the greeting of 
the Aurora Grata bodies to 111. Henry L Palmer 
and the members of the Supreme Council, and on 
behalf of the Aurora Grata Association of Brook- 





J-.-* 



A's ' 



"-• _ 



Aurora Grata Cathedral, Bedford Avenue and Madison Street 



AURORA GRATA CATHEDRAL 83 

lyn presented the Cathedral to him for dedica- 
tion. 111. Bro. Palmer accepted the trust, and 
assuming the gavel dedicated Aurora Grata 
Cathedral to the service of Masonry in accord- 
ance with the usages of the Ancient Accepted 
Scottish Rite. 

Proclamation having been made East, South 
West and North the M. P. Sovereign Grand Com- 
mander recommitted the Cathedral into the 
charge of the Association, and in returning the 
gavel to the Thrice Potent Master congratulated 
the craft of Brooklyn on the beautiful edifice 
they had acquired and earnestly wished them a 
continuance of the great success that had 
attended their work in the past few years. 

Rev. and Bro. Warren C. Hubbard was then 
introduced by the Thrice Potent Master, and 
delivered an address in which he recounted 
briefly the rise and fall of the Aurora Grata bodies 
in the years preceding 1883, and the period of 
unexampled prosperity, sturdy growth and stal- 
wart maturity which had made Aurora Grata 
Cathedral "its goal today and its starting point 
tomorrow." 

The first meeting in the Cathedral was held by 
the Lodge of Perfection on the 7th of October, 
when there were present a large number of visitors 



84 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

from neighboring Valleys who had come to con- 
gratulate Aurora Grata in their new home. 



HENRY L PALMER 

Most 111. Henry L Palmer, Sovereign Grand 
Commander of the Supreme Council for the 
Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, is without doubt 
the foremost Freemason in the world today. He 
has been honored by his brethren with the highest 
official station in every branch of Masonry, and 
has left his strong impress on every department 
of the Craft. He was Grand Master of the Grand 
Lodge of Wisconsin in 1852 and 1853, and again 
in 1871 and 1872; Grand High Priest of the Grand 
Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Wisconsin in 
1858 and 1859; Grand Master of the Grand Coun- 
cil of Royal and Select Masters of Wisconsin in 
1853 and 1854; Grand Commander of the Grand 
Commandery of Knights Templar of Wisconsin 
from 1858 to 1865 inclusive ; and Grand Master 
of the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar 
of the United States from 1865 to 1868. 

Born in Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, on 
the 18th of October, 1819, he removed to West 
Troy, New York, where he was made a Mason in 
Evening Star Lodge No. 75, being raised on the 



AURORA GRATA CLUB 85 

10th of March, 1841. Bro. Palmer was Master of 
his lodge from 1845 to 1848 inclusive, and is the 
oldest living Past Master of any lodge under the 
jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of the State of 
New York. His removal from the State, how- 
ever, technically deprives him of official recogni- 
tion as Dean of the Masters of the State. 



AURORA GRATA CLUB 

By the purchase of the Aurora Grata Cathe- 
dral property the Association came into posses- 
sion of the parsonage attached to the church. 
It was promptly suggested that this would make 
an excellent home for a club, and even before the 
Aurora Grata bodies moved into their new Cathe- 
dral the Aurora Grata Club was organized on the 
18th of May, 1887, with a large membership of 
the same enthusiastic brethren who had built up 
the Aurora Grata bodies. Membership in the 
club was limited to Master Masons in good stand- 
ing, and it was the first Masonic club organized 
in the world. Our example has been followed 
in many cities, and everywhere the Masonic 
club has proved itself an important addition to 
the social side of the fraternity. A reorgniza- 
tion of the club with a view to broadening its 



86 AUROKA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

usefulness was an ever-present topic of conversa- 
tion during 1907, and in December the Aurora 
Grata Club gave place to the Masonic Club of 
Brooklyn. It has now a membership of more 
than twelve hundred Master Masons, its presi- 
dent being Bro. Theodore A. Taylor, secretary 
of the Scottish Rite bodies. 

The name Aurora Grata was adopted by a 
Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star in- 
stituted on the 6th of October, 1900, and it has 
become one of the most flourishing chapters of 
the Order in the State. 




SECOND AURORA GRATA CONSISTORY 




HE year 1888 found the Lodge of 
Perfection, Council of Princes, 
and Chapter of Rose Croix in a 
most prosperous condition. The 
rolls had increased in four years 
from eighty-four, mostly quies- 
cent and indifferent members, to three hundred 
and seventy-five active, energetic and faithful 
workers, proud of their achievement and proud 
of the new Cathedral, which was conceded to be 
in its noble proportions and fitness for Scottish 
Rite work the finest in the State of New York. 
But the Circle of Unity was not complete — - 
there was no Consistory in Brooklyn, and the 
members must go to a neighboring Valley to 
receive the grades above the Eighteenth. The 
brethren in Brooklyn made up their minds they 



88 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

wanted a Consistory and set about getting it, 
with the result that on the 9th of October, 1888, 
the Sovereign Grand Commander, 111. Henry L 
Palmer, 33°, granted a dispensation for a Con- 
sistory to be held in the Valley of Brooklyn. 

On the 23d of the same month a special session 
of the Supreme Council was convened in the 
rooms of the Aurora Grata Club for the purpose 
of inaugurating Aurora Grata Consistory of the 
Valley of Brooklyn. The officers representing 
the Supreme Council of the Thirty-third degree 
were as follows : 



J. H. Hobart Ward, as M. P. Sov. Gr. Commander. 
Walter M. Fleming, as P. Gr. Lieut-Commander. 
Daniel Sickles, as Gr. Minister of State. 
Robert Macoy, as Gr. Chancellor. 
Edwin Gates, as Gr. Treasurer-General H. E. 
Albert P. Moriarty, as Gr. Secretary-General H. E. 
Athanasius Colo-Veloni, as Gr. Hospitaler. 
John W. Richardson, as Gr. Marshall-General. 



These distinguished brethren proceeded to 
Aurora Grata Cathedral, where they were received 
by the petitioners for the dispensation, and at 
once occupied their official stations. 111. J. H. 
Hobart Ward, 33°, addressed the brethren in a 
congratulatory manner, filled the vacant Con- 



SECOND AURORA GRATA CONSISTORY 89 

sistorial offices by appointment, and ordered the 
reading of the dispensation. After every bro- 
ther present had subscribed his name in the 
register, 111. Wayland Trask, 33°, was presented 
and installed as Commander-in-Chief of the new 
Aurora Grata Consistory. The remaining offi- 
cers were then elected, appointed, and installed 
with the exception of secretary and sentinel. 
Bros. Frank B. Jackson and Godfrey Lincks were 
then introduced, and by virtue of a special 
dispensation were created S. P. R. S. and declared 
members of the Consistory. The Commander- 
in-Chief immediately appointed Bro. Jackson to 
be secretary and Bro. Lincks sentinel, and they 
were conducted to their stations and at once 
entered upon their duties. 

The initiation fee in the new Consistory was 
fixed at twenty-five dollars and the annual dues 
at two dollars; life membership, five dollars. It 
was directed that all moneys received from 
life memberships should be invested in stock of 
the Aurora Grata Association. Petitions were 
received from forty-nine Rose Croix Knights 
and all were duly elected to receive the grades in 
Aurora Grata Consistory. The first regular 
rendezvous was held on the 23d of November, 
1888, when the Twenty-first degree was con- 
ferred in full ceremonial form upon fifty-five 



90 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

candidates, the first time a Consistorial grade 
had been conferred in Brooklyn since 1877. 

At the session of the Supreme Council held in 
September, 1889, a charter was issued to Aurora 
Grata Consistory, dated the 19th of that month, 
and on the evening of the 10th of October the 
Consistory was duly and lawfully constituted by 
111. J. H. Hobart Ward, 33°, representing 111. 
John Hodge, 33°, Deputy for the State of New 
York. The patents of the one hundred and six 
charter members were presented to the Grand 
Secretary-General, who duly endorsed each one 
upon presentation of transfer of membership to 
Aurora Grata Consistory. 111. Wayland Trask, 
33°, was elected Commander-in-Chief for the 
regular Consistorial term of three years. 



EDWIN KNOWLES 

Among those who gave of their talents to the 
up-lift of the Aurora Grata bodies was 111. Edwin 
Knowles, 33°. In addition to yeoman service in 
the conferring of degrees he tendered several 
benefit performances by the Amaranth Dramatic 
Society at the Amphion Theatre, which added 
several hundred dollars to the Consistory's funds. 
Bro. Knowles early showed a talent for the stage, 



EDWIN KNOWLES 91 

and at the age of twenty-two we find him taking 
minor parts under Ben Baker. He quickly rose 
to the position of leading man, a position which 
he held for many years, supporting Fanny Daven- 
port, Mme. Janauschek, Lawrence Barrett, the 
Florences and many others. He became a 
theatre manager, having in his control the Grand 
Opera House, Amphion, Columbia, and Park 
theatres of Brooklyn, and the Fifth Avenue 
Theatre of New York. 

Bro. Knowles was raised in Commonwealth 
Lodge No. 409 in June, 1885, and was its Master 
two years later. He entered the Scottish Rite 
immediately and became Master of the Lodge of 
Perfection. The Thirty-third degree was con- 
ferred upon him at Cleveland in September, 1889. 
In the Grand Lodge he was representative of 
the Grand Lodge of Rhode Island, his native 
State. His death occurred on the 14th of April, 
1902. 

His skill in artistic grouping and scenic effects 
contributed greatly to the beauty and impres- 
siveness of the degree work. 

Bro. Knowles was a most courtly gentleman, 
a man of handsome presence, generous to a 
fault, and numbered his friends by the hun- 
dreds. 



92 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

EDWIN GATES 

Aurora Grata was called upon in 1891 to 
mourn the death of one who had been her bone 
and sinew in her days of trouble, 111. Edwin 
Gates, 33°, one of the charter members and third 
officer of the first Aurora Grata Consistory. He 
saw Aurora Grata numerically the strongest 
Scottish Rite bodies in the State of New York, 
with many of the most prominent Masons in the 
United States on her rolls; he saw her when trials 
and adversity overwhelmed her, when the Con- 
sistory was merged with another and lost its 
identity and the three lower bodies entered into 
a sleep as of death; and he was one of the hope- 
ful and faithful band who nursed the tiny vital 
spark and fanned it into a conquering flame of 
energy and progress. 

Born in Massachusetts in 1820, he was a forty- 
niner, fitting out a vessel and sailing for Cali- 
fornia in that memorable year. The following 
year he established the first American school on 
the Pacific Coast, and was admitted to the bar 
in 1852. The year before he had been made a 
Mason in Mokelumme Lodge and soon became 
its Master. . Bro. Gates was a charter member of 
Stella Lodge No. 485 and became Master of it in 
1876. The degrees of the Scottish Rite were con- 



ADVERSITY RETURNS; AGAIN VANQUISHED 93 

ferred upon him in 1866, and from the organiza- 
tion of the Aurora Grata Council, Chapter, and 
Consistory he took an active part in the advance- 
ment of these bodies. He labored diligently to 
infuse new life and energy into those who were 
already identified with the Rite, and brought a 
large amount of new material, impressing them 
with the importance and beauty of the Scottish 
Rite and arousing in them the same love for it 
which he possessed. Bro. Gates was treasurer of 
the first Aurora Grata Consistory for thirteen 
years, and was crowned a Sovereign Grand 
Inspector General in 1879. 

A firm and faithful friend, a rigid and upright 
business man, an earnest and enthusiastic Mason, 
believing in its principles and practicing them in 
his relations with his brethren and with the outer 
world, he was honored by all who knew him, and 
his death was a severe loss to Aurora Grata. 



ADVERSITY RETURNS; AGAIN VANQUISHED 

In 1896 the failure of a banking house in which 
the Aurora Grata bodies had deposited their 
funds came as a heavy blow, and under circum- 
stances which wounded deeply. - It became 
necessary to reduce the number of meetings to 
curtail expenses, and moneys which were here- 



94 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

tofore invested in stock of the Aurora Grata 
Association were needed to meet current bills; 
but the same resolute determination and stead- 
fast courage which raised the bodies in the Valley 
of Brooklyn to their high pinnacle was again set 
to the task of wiping out debt and mending the 
breach. 

This year also records the death of 111. Charles 
T. McClenachan, 33°, Commander-in-Chief of the 
first Aurora Grata Consistory from 1871 until 
its consolidation with Cosmopolitan to form the 
Consistory of New York City. He had been 
an active member of the Supreme Council since 
1861, and at the time of his death was Grand 
Master-General of Ceremonies. 111. Bro. McClena- 
chan was made a Mason in 1854 in Munn Lodge 
No. 190, New York city, and received the Scot- 
tish Rite degrees two years later. For thirteen 
years he was Thrice Potent Master of New York 
Lodge of Perfection and he was Commander-in- 
Chief of Cosmopolitan Consistory before being 
elected to the same office in Aurora Grata Con- 
sistory. A thorough student of Masonry, he 
left a monument to his attachment to the fra- 
ternity in his Book of the Scottish Rite, a moni- 
tor covering all the degrees, his addendum to 
Mackey's Encyclopedia of Masonry, and an 
extensive History of Masonry in New York State. 




' j6 <^<4u^ &L 



Cvr/X 



J. H. HOBART WARD 95 

J. H. HOBART WARD 

At the session of the Supreme Council in 1897 
General J. H. Hobart Ward was created an 
active member, and at the rendezvous of Octo- 
ber 22d of that year he was most enthusiasti- 
cally welcomed as such by the Consistory and 
received with the grand honors and the singing 
of Auld Lang Syne. 

Bro. Ward was born in New York City in 1823. 
Immediately upon graduating from college he 
enlisted as a private in the Seventh Regiment, 
United States Cavalry, saying that he wanted 
to rise from the ranks. He retired a Briga- 
dier-General. General Ward served through- 
out the Mexican War with the Seventh Cavalry, 
but not without the marks of battle, for he was 
wounded several times, and seriously in a des- 
perate charge at the Battle of Monterey. At 
the commencement of the Civil War he raised 
the Thirty-eighth Regiment, New York Volun- 
teers, which, together with another he assisted 
in organizing, formed the Scott Life Guards. 
Both of these regiments were in the Army of 
Virginia, usually in the division commanded by 
General Ward. 

Bro. Ward was made a Mason in 1855 in 
Metropolitan Lodge No. 273 of New York, and 



96 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

received the degrees of the Scottish Rite two 
years later. He was advanced to the grade of 
Sovereign Grand Inspector General in 1863. 
The General was an active participant in the 
work of preparing for and conferring the degrees, 
and his knowledge of ritualistic work and the 
methods of communicating instruction in the 
various grades so as to produce the desired 
impression on the initiate, made him a most 
valuable worker in Aurora Grata. General 
Ward was struck down and killed by a railway 
train in July, 1903. 



JOHN W. RICHARDSON, COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 

In 1898 111. John W. Richardson, 33°, was 
elected Commander-in-Chief of the Consistory. 
Although marked by forced retrenchment, his 
administration was an active and most successful 
one. By an interchange of visits with neighbor- 
ing Valleys he kept alive interest in the Scottish 
Rite work, and in the early months of the year 
1898, the Twentieth grade, Master ad Vitam, 
was presented in full form in Aurora Grata by 
members of The Consistory of New York City. 
Afterwards Aurora Grata undertook the presen- 
tation of the same degree with such success that 
it is considered the best work done in our Valley. 



JOHN W. RICHAEDSON 97 

"Uncle John" himself essayed the role of Wall- 
raven from the start, and lovers of this magnifi- 
cent degree — deemed by many the finest in the 
entire series — are still looking for his equal in 
that character. 

Bro. Richardson was raised in 1866 in Altair 
Lodge No. 601 and was its Master in 1876 and 
1877. Five years later he was appointed Deputy 
for the Third Masonic District and inaugurated 
the custom of " following the Deputy" on his offi- 
cial visits in the Third District. He was one of 
the energetic workers who officered the weakling 
Lodge of Perfection in 1885 and imparted new 
fife and strength to the Scottish Rite in the Val- 
ley of Brooklyn. 

In May, 1898, Bro. Theodore A. Taylor, secre- 
tary of the Lodge of Perfection since the night 
he received the degrees, was elected secretary 
of the Council, Chapter, and Consistory. Bro. 
Taylor was raised in 1876 in Commonwealth 
Lodge No. 409; he was in the same yearappointed 
Senior Deacon, becoming Master in 1882, and 
has been treasurer of the lodge since 1883. He 
was District Deputy Grand Master for the Third 
District in 1885 when that district won its title 
of Banner Third by reason of being the first to 
pay its quota of the Hall and Asylum debt. 
The district raised twenty-five thousand dollars 



98 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

to that end during his term of office as Deputy. 
Bro. Taylor was elected Grand Treasurer of the 
Grand Lodge in 1900 and held that office for 
four years. One of the most active and best 
known Masons in Brooklyn, his energies in 
recent years have been directed toward the erec- 
tion of the Brooklyn Masonic Temple, the corner- 
stone of which was laid on the 23d of November, 
1907, by the M.W. Grand Master, Townsend 
Scudder, 33°, a member of the Aurora Grata 
bodies. 

WILLIAM HOMAN 

On the 17th of May, 1901, the Council of De- 
liberation of the State of New York met in its 
thirty-second annual session, 111. William Homan, 
33°, Deputy of the Supreme Council, presiding. 
Aurora Grata Cathedral was selected as the 
place of meeting, and it was the pleasure of 
Aurora Grata to entertain their distinguished 
guests at this the first session called by 111. Bro. 
Homan after his election to the office of Deputy 
for the Empire State in September, 1900. 

At the time of his election to active member- 
ship in the Supreme Council in 1895, 111. Bro. 
Homan was the youngest in age of the active 
members of any Supreme Council in the world. 
To the energy of youth he has added a sincere 



WILLIAM HOMAN 99 

devotion to the progress of the Rite, giving 
special attention to awakening interest in the 
history of the Scottish Rite and to focusing the 
light of truth on clandestine bodies. In 1905 he 
published The Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite 
of Freemasonry, a book of more than two hun- 
dred interesting and instructive pages, in which 
are placed beforevMasons as never before the his- 
tory of the Scottish Rite and the truth with 
respect to pretenders. The following year he 
published as an appendix to the Proceedings of 
the Council of Deliberation some eighty pages 
containing fac-similes of the pages of the orig- 
inal minute book of Ineffable Lodge of Perfec- 
tion at Albany from 1767 to 1774, which he was 
fortunately enabled to restore to Ineffable Lodge 
after much painstaking effort. His latest liter- 
ary production is The Scottish Rite and the 
Cerneau Wrong, a pamphlet of peculiar value to 
the Rite, and particularly to those who seek to 
enlighten brethren of the Symbolic lodge who 
might otherwise be misled. 

Since 111. Bro. Homan was elected Deputy the 
Proceedings of the Council of DeUbe ration abound 
in valuable historical data of first importance, 
not only to the Rite in our jurisdiction, but 
to the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite wherever 
it has been regularly established. 



100 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

EDWIN D. WASHBURNE, COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 

At the triennial rendezvous of the Consistory 
held in December, 1901, 111. Edwin D. Wash- 
burne, 33°, became Commander-in-Chief, — 
another one of the faithful workers to whom 
Aurora Grata owes so much. With natural 
histrionic talent and a love and enthusiasm for 
the Rite excelled by none, he has given of his 
time and purse for more than a score of years 
for the good of Aurora Grata. Hardly a Consis- 
torial grade has been presented these many 
years without his taking one of the most difficult 
roles, and in the Council he has long been " Our 
Zerubbabel." 

The progress of the bodies was eminently 
satisfactory during Bro. Washburne's adminis- 
tration, and in May of 1902 'the membership 
passed five hundred for the first time. His 
three years as Commander-in-Chief were marked 
by steady additions of zealous workers, and 
when he surrendered the gavel of the Consistory 
to his successor the sea of troubles had been 
crossed. 

GIFTS FROM MEMBERS 

From time to time the bodies have been the 
recipients of gifts from members in token of 
their attachment to Aurora Grata. In 1887 111. 



» «K: * 



» 




(Uctcc^t ^?7q^A^^ul 



GIFTS FROM MEMBERS 101 

Bro. D wight Burdge, 33°, presented to the Lodge 
of Perfection a full-toned and beautiful Japanese 
gong from a Buddhist temple. This gong is no 
doubt one of the handsomest pieces of ham- 
mered bronze in the country, as its tones are of 
the sweetest. Its melancholy and lingering note 
contributes immeasurably to the solemnity of 
the Mystic Roll at the ceremony of the Feast 
of the Paschal Lamb, when it speaks its message 
of sorrow and tells of another brother who has 
been raised to sublime degrees we know not of. 

The diamond studded jewel of the Master of 
the Rose Croix Chapter is a present from 111. 
Bro. Daniel M. MacLellan, 33°, upon his retiring 
from the East of the Chapter in 1886. Bro. 
John Q. Moon presented to the Chapter in 1891 
a handsome Rose Croix sword that had been the 
property of 111. Edmund B. Hays, 33°, who was 
Sovereign Grand Commander of the Cerneau- 
Hays Supreme Council and became an emeri- 
tus member of the Supreme Council for the 
Northern Masonic Jurisdiction. 

Upon the completion of his term of office as 
Commander-in-Chief 111. Bro. Washburne pre- 
sented to the Consistory a handsome jewel of 
the Thirty-third degree, which is always worn 
by the Commander-in-Chief at the regular ren- 
dezvous of the Consistory. 



102 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

The small table with griffin legs, sometimes 
used in the Lodge of Perfection, was once the 
property of the famous Mme. Jumel. 

DANIEL SICKELS 

In January, 1902, occurred the death of 111. 
Daniel Sickels, 33°, active member of the Su- 
preme Council since 1849 and one of the charter 
members of Aurora Grata Council, Chapter, and 
Consistory in 1866. His Masonic record is 
remarkable for its diversity and activity. He 
was twice Grand Secretary-General of the Su- 
preme Council, from 1849 to 1853 and from 1860 
to 1873, serving as Grand Minister of State dur- 
ing the intervening seven years. Bro. Sickels 
was educated as an engineer, but early turned 
his attention to mercantile pursuits. He was 
possessed of literary talents, which he directed 
to Masonic rather than general literature. Per- 
haps his most important publication was his 
Ahiman Rezon and Masonic Monitor, first pub- 
lished in 1865 and still a standard authority 
with the fraternity. As long as his health per- 
mitted he was a regular attendant at the meet- 
ings of his Masonic bodies, and he served on the 
standing Committee on Returns in the Supreme 
Council for more than a quarter of a century. In 




A 



Cl^^A-^ (0 




CHARLES EL LTJSCOMB 103 

recognition of his long service and the love of his 
associates for him the Supreme Council conferred 
upon him the title and dignity of Dean of the 
Supreme Council. His funeral services were 
conducted by Aurora Grata Lodge No. 756, of 
which he was a charter member, the Supreme 
Council being represented by the attendance of 
seven of its active members, six of its officers 
and twenty honorary members. 

CHARLES H. LTJSCOMB, COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 

At the regular Consistorial rendezvous of 
December, 1904, 111. Charles H. Luscomb, 33°, 
was elected Commander-in-Chief of the Consis- 
tory and was installed by 111. James H. Codding, 
33°, Grand Secretary-General H. E. Colonel 
Luscomb's record in Masonic and other organiza- 
tions is a story of activity and achievement 
that is not often paralleled. He was raised in 
Girard Lodge No. 631 in 1880, served as Senior 
Deacon and Junior Warden, and was Master in 
1883, 1884, and 1885. Taking up his residence 
in Brooklyn he affiliated with Central Lodge No. 
361 and was its Master in 1888 and 1889. He 
was exalted in Constellation Chapter, Royal 
Arch Masons, in 1887 and was High Priest in 
1890 and 1891. He became a member of the 



104 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

Scottish Rite bodies in 1891 and five years later 
was elected Thrice Potent Master of the Lodge 
of Perfection, serving two years. In 1898 he 
was crowned an honorary member of the Su- 
preme Council. It will be noted that Bro. Lus- 
comb was Master of his Symbolic lodge before 
receiving the Chapter degrees and was High 
&iest of his Chapter before becoming a Scottish 
Rite Mason. 

Immediately upon\his installation he entered 
upon the duties of Commander-in-Chief with all 
his unique energy and a determination to leave 
Aurora Grata better for his having been asso- 
ciated with it. One of his very first acts was 
to put renewed vim into the fraternal visits to 
other Valleys and he promptly arranged for trips 
to Albany and Jersey City, taking with him about 
eighty members of Aurora Grata Consistory on 
the trip to New Jersey Sovereign Consistory. 
Visits followed to Binghamton, Philadelphia, 
Camden, Bridgeport, Scranton and Providence. 

Greater attention than heretofore was given 
to the celebration of the solemn Feast of the 
Paschal Lamb on Maundy Thursday in the Rose 
Croix Chapter, when the lights are extinguished 
and the Chapter closed. In 1906, M. W. Frank 
Hurd Robinson, 33°, Grand Master of Masons in 
New York, responded to This Holy Day, and 



■ \ 4" 


j i 


/ x 




Orvw. 



~JL JL 



-v,K ^,Si-w.ju, 



Original Drawing of the Grand Decoration of the Thirty-third 
Degree, made by III. Daniel Sickels, 33° 



CHARLES H. LUSCOMB 105 

M. W. George W. Kendrick, 33°, Grand Master 
of Masons in Pennsylvania, Toleration. The 
next year the responses were by M. W. Town- 
send Scudder, 33°, of the Aurora Grata bodies, 
Grand Master of Masons in New York, and M. 
W. John Albert Blake, 33°, Grand Master of 
Masons in Massachusetts. Accompanying 111. Bro. 
Blake and participating in the ceremonies were 
M. E. Arthur G. Pollard, 33°, Past General Grand 
High Priest and M. E. Harry Hunt, 33°, Grand 
High Priest of the Grand Royal Arch Chapter 
of Massachusetts. On both occasions the Com- 
mander-in-Chief responded to The Dead. The 
Feast of the Paschal Lamb and the Lodge of 
Sorrow held each year are tiled as a Master Mason 
lodge, and these beautiful ceremonies are wit- 
nessed by many who are not members of the Rite. 
The Paschal Lamb ceremony of 1907 led to 
an invitation from Massachusetts Consistory to 
visit Boston, and a number of the brothers accom- 
panied the Commander-in-Chief on a two-day 
trip to that Valley in October, 1907. The recep- 
tion committee consisted of the Grand Master, 
the Deputy Grand Master, the Grand High 
Priest, the Commander-in-Chief and Past Com- 
manders-in-Chief of Massachusetts Consistory, 
and every possible effort was put forth to extend 
to the visitors a fraternal welcome. The return 



106 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

was made by direct steamer and the trip was 
voted the most enjoyable in many respects that 
Brooklyn had ever made. An ebony gavel, 
surmounted with a double-headed eagle and 
bearing a suitable inscription in a silver Delta, 
was presented to Massachusetts Consistory as 
a token of appreciation of their genuine Masonic 
hospitality. 

EXCHANGES OF VISITS WITH SCRANTON 

Among the visitors at the first meeting in the 
Cathedral was Bro. Francis G. Rarrick, Thrice 
Potent Master of Keystone Lodge of Perfection, 
Scranton, Pennsylvania, who came to request 
Aurora Grata to pay a fraternal visit to Key- 
stone Lodge of Perfection and exemplify the 
Fourteenth degree in full form in that Valley. 
The invitation was accepted by Aurora Grata, 
and on the 10th of November, 1887, about fifty 
members of the Brooklyn bodies journeyed to 
Scranton where the officers of Aurora Grata 
Lodge of Perfection conferred the Fourteenth 
degree in full form upon a large class. Keystone 
presented to Aurora Grata Lodge of Perfection 
a gavel made from a post taken from Libby 
Prison, and this gavel is today preserved as one 
of the treasures of the Lodge. The following 



VISITS TO SCRANTON 107 

year a delegation of twenty members of Key- 
stone Lodge of Perfection was welcomed on a 
return visit to Aurora Grata. 

Nearly twenty years later an apparent stran- 
ger applied for admission as a visitor to Aurora 
Grata Chapter of Rose Croix, and upon being 
passed by the Outer Guard of the Chapter pre- 
pared to sit quietly by and watch the conferring 
of the degree. But strangers do not go long 
unnoticed in Aurora Grata and it was soon dis- 
covered that he was from Scranton. He not 
only recalled the close fraternal relations between 
the bodies a score of years before, but had accom- 
panied the Thrice Potent Master of Keystone 
Lodge of Perfection on the memorable visit to 
Brooklyn in 1888. This brother was 111. Joseph 
F. Baumeister, 33°, Commander-in-Chief of Key- 
stone Consistory. Old recollections were revived, 
and within a few minutes an invitation was 
extended to visit Scranton again and it was as 
promptly accepted, this time from Consistory 
to Consistory. On the 5th of June, 1906, nearly 
eighty members of Aurora Grata Consistory 
made the trip to the Valley of Scranton. The 
Twentieth degree, Master ad Vitam, was pre- 
sented in full ceremonial form by the Brooklyn 
delegation, who had taken costumes and proper- 
ties for the purpose. This degree had never 



108 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

been presented before in Keystone Consistory 
and drew so large an attendance that it was neces- 
sary to hold the rendezvous in an auditorium. 
In the cast 111. Charles H. Luscomb, 33°, Com- 
mander-in-Chief of Aurora Grata Consistory, 
represented Frederick II, while 111. Edwin D. 
Washburne, 33°, and 111. John W. Richardson, 
33°, the only living Past Commanders-in-Chief 
of Aurora Grata Consistory, appeared in the 
roles of Francis I and Wallraven respectively. 
Nearly four hundred were seated at the banquet 
which followed in the Hotel Jermyn. Dr. Jacob 
Helmer's response, The Consistory, was an able 
and most interesting account of the founding of 
Keystone Consistory at Scranton. He described 
the support given by Brooklyn in that difficult 
task, and as he recounted the alternate hopes and 
fears of the early workers and the manner in 
which Aurora Grata worked with and gave aid 
and encouragement to Keystone Consistory in 
their hours of despair the applause was pro- 
longed and sincere. The return was made the 
following day, without incident to mar a trip 
marked by genuine cordiality and enjoyment on 
the part of everyone. Each member brought 
back a souvenir in the shape of a paper weight 
made from coal, while Keystone Consistory pre- 
sented to Aurora Grata Consistory a beautifully 




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VISITS TO SYMBOLIC LODGES 109 

carved loving cup made from coal and bearing a 
silver plate suitably inscribed. The Commander- 
in-Chief of Keystone Consistory wields a silver- 
mounted ebony gavel, presented by Aurora 
Grata as a souvenir of the event. 

In March, 1907, Keystone Consistory paid a 
return visit, thirty-five strong, and witnessed 
the degree of Knight Commander of the Temple 
with Rev. Warren C. Hubbard, 33°, as Honorius, 
and 111. Edwin D. Washburne, 33°, Frederick. 

VISITS TO SYMBOLIC LODGES 

Early in his administration 111. Commander- 
in-Chief Luscomb planned a series of visits by 
the members of the Scottish Rite bodies to Sym- 
bolic lodges in order to meet in their home lodges 
those brothers who were active in the Scottish 
Rite. Some forty such visits were made to 
most of the leading lodges in the city, and resulted 
in an extension of friendships and an interchange 
of fraternal greetings which could have been 
attained in no other way. Notable among these 
visits was one made in December, 1905, to Com- 
monwealth, the home lodge of our Secretary, 
Bro. Theodore A. Taylor. More than ninety 
members of the Aurora Grata bodies accom- 
panied the Commander-in-Chief and they were 



110 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

received most cordially by the officers and breth- 
ren of the lodge. The entire evening was given 
up to the entertainment of the guests. 

On the evening of the 4th of November, 1907, 
Acanthus Lodge No. 719 had a Scottish Rite 
Night. An invitation was extended to the Con- 
sistory in the name of the lodge, and it is believed 
that this is the first official invitation to visit 
ever extended from a Symbolic lodge to a Scot- 
tish Rite body. A delegation consisting of more 
than a hundred was cordially welcomed. The 
evening was devoted to musical and other enter- 
tainment and the exchange of fraternal greet- 
ings, and it is remembered alike in Aurora Grata 
and Acanthus as a most enjoyable event. 

The second invitation came from Marsh 
Lodge No. 188, to visit that lodge on the sixty- 
first anniversary of the institution of the lodge, 
and the Commander-in-Chief was accompanied 
by a large number of members of the Consistory. 
Honorary members of the Supreme Council, 
Thirty-third degree, members of the Aurora 
Grata bodies, occupied the stations during the 
conferring of the Third degree. 111. Bro. Lus- 
comb sat in the East, and the Historical Lec- 
ture was delivered by 111. Robert Judson Ken- 
worthy, 33°, First Lieutenant-Commander of 
Aurora Grata Consistory and Deputy Grand 



WAYLAND TRASK 111 

Master of the Grand Lodge of New York State. 
On all of these visits Bro. Luscomb addressed 
the brethren on some Masonic topic in his usual 
interesting manner, and brought to their atten- 
tion numerable facts relating to Symbolic and 
Ineffable Masonry with which many of them were 
unacquainted. 

WAYLAND TRASK 

On the 27th of January, 1905, occurred the 
death of 111. Wayland Trask, 33°, first Comman- 
der-in-Chief of the second Aurora Grata Consis- 
tory, a body which owed its existence to his 
illimitable energy. In an appreciation written 
by 111. WiUiam 0. Campbell, 33°, he has said of 
111. Bro. Trask: 

His Masonic record, so far as it is recorded in the books, 
is briefly told. He was initiated, passed and raised in 
Montauk Lodge No. 286, Brooklyn, on October 19, Novem- 
ber 2 and 16, 1881, respectively. By dimit he became 
a member of Independent Royal Arch Lodge No. 2, Janu- 
ary 16, 1884, and its Master in 1886. He was exalted in 
Constellation Royal Arch Chapter on January 22, 1883, 
and Knighted in Clinton Commandery No. 14, where he 
served as Junior Warden, Captain General and Generalis- 
simo, and became Eminent Commander in 1887. 

He was made a Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret 
in New York Consistory, but it was in the Aurora Grata 



112 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

bodies of the Valley of Brooklyn that his fame was estab- 
lished. He served as Thrice Potent Master of the Lodge 
of Perfection in the years 1885, 1886, 1887 and 1888, and 
was Commander-in-Chief of the Consistory from its insti- 
tution October 23, 1888, to 1898. 

From the beginning the history of the Aurora Grata 
bodies in Brooklyn is the history of Wayland Trask. 
What he did here is known of all men. He gave his best 
without stint; his talent, his time and his money were all 
ours, and his giving was the potent mainspring of giving 
on the part of others. A born leader, he inspired others 
to worthy imitation. He was generous, brave, tender- 
hearted, true. He had human weakness, mighty mis- 
fortunes, indomitable will, sturdy honesty, firm friends 
and hearty enemies. To know him in his hours of triumph, 
when on the top wave of social, fraternal and financial 
success, was good; but to know Wayland Trask in the dark 
and trying hours of adversity, was better. It was the 
writer's privilege to be near him in the day when money, 
power, prestige and fair-weather friends had all fled. A 
few warm friends remained to the end. It was then that 
the man in him shone out. Not in our way, perhaps, but 
in his own way, with impaired health, eyesight seriously 
affected by rheumatism, Masonically obscured, buried 
beneath an appalling mountain of debt, at the age of 
fifty-six, alone with his God, he determined to pay his 
debts, and he attacked the task in a spirit of heroism rarely 
equalled. This too, notwithstanding that his creditors 
had compromised their claims, and as a matter of law he 
was under no obligation to pay a dollar. This task, set 
for himself, he had well-nigh accomplished when death 
overtook him. He died at his post as surely as ever soldier 





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ANNUAL KEUNIONS 113 

died upon the field of battle. It may be said of him as 
Bacon said of Raleigh, " I know that he could toil terribly." 
He shunned no obstacles, avoided no difficulty, but learned 
with Milton to "scorn delights and live laborious days." 

ANNUAL REUNIONS 

A reunion of the bodies was held on the 15th 
of June, 1906, and proved so successful that a 
two-days ' reunion was held on the 7th and 8th 
of the same month in 1907. At both of these 
reunions degrees were conferred in full form in 
all four bodies and every effort was put forth to 
make the work impressive and instructive to 
the candidates. Both reunions were successful 
not only in the high character of the Master 
Masons who sought in them the light of the 
Scottish Rite, but they made possible the accom- 
plishment of a plan which the Commander-in- 
Chief had in mind since his installation. When 
Aurora Grata Cathedral was purchased in 1887 
by the Aurora Grata Association it was intended 
that the bodies of the Rite should acquire a con- 
trolling interest as fast as their funds would 
permit, but the financial troubles of 1896 " im- 
peded for a time the progress of the work." 
Under the enthusiastic guidance of 111. Comman- 
der-in-Chief Luscomb it became possible for the 
four bodies to purchase enough stock to become 



114 AURORA GRATA A. A. SCOTTISH RITE 

majority holders in July, 1907, immediately 
following the reunion, and we came into control 
of our home after twenty years of effort to that 
end. 

CONCLUSION 

As we stand on the threshold of the second 
century of Aurora Grata the future seems to hold 
for us but bows of promise. We look around us 
and behold our beautiful Temple, proudly stand- 
ing among the buildings of our city and bearing 
on the corner-stone "Aurora Grata Cathedral, 
A. A. Scottish Rite, N. M. J." To us it is dear; 
to many of us it is our Masonic birthplace, and to 
all our Scottish Rite home. Perhaps the noblest 
privilege we enjoy in this world is fraternal 
association with our fellow man. Friendship 
and brotherly love are operative and not specu- 
lative in Aurora Grata. Dissension has not 
crossed our portals these many years, and to the 
bond of union and friendship is added a sincere 
interest and hearty cooperation in the labors of 
the Scottish Rite. We have a membership of 
more than nine hundred of the most energetic 
workers in the Rite that ever gathered under 
one banner. We have a corps of workers who 
confer the degrees in a manner so finished and 
impressive that there is always a large attend- 



CONCLUSION 115 

ance, and the fame of our work is spreading 
throughout the land. We have a leader full of 
enthusiasm and attachment for the Rite, untir- 
ing in energy, careful of every detail that makes 
for perfection in the work, and so watchful over 
the interests of our beautiful Rite that he com- 
mands the cooperation of a large band of workers. 
Proud of their privilege, they are building on the 
rock foundation that has been laid a Masonic 
edifice which shall continue to stand proudly 
before all the world, a credit to our city and to 
every Mason who can claim the distinction of 
being a member of the Aurora Grata Scottish 
Rite bodies. 

In the future, as in the past, "May brotherly 
love prevail, and every moral and social virtue 
cement us." 



APPENDIX 

I Thirty-second Degree Patent of Mordecai 
Myers. 

II Appointment of Mordecai Myers in Sub- 
lime Grand Consistory. 

Ill Officers of the Aurora Grata bodies. 



THIRTY-SECOND DEGREE PATENT OF 

MORDECAI MYERS 

FIRST MASTER OF AURORA GRATA LODGE OF PERFECTION 

DATED, NOVEMBER 8, 1808 



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APPOINTMENT OF 

MORDECAI MYERS 

IN THE SUBLIME GRAND CONSISTORY 

NOVEMBER 24. 1808 




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AURORA GRATA 

LODGE OF PERFECTION 



Date of Charter: November 6, 1808 

officers for 1908-1909 

Henry A. Potter . . Thrice Potent Master 

Henry C. Barthman Deputy Master 

Walter D. Graham Senior Warden 

Francis G. Coates Junior Warden 

Russell L. Boyer Orator 

Augustus K Sloan, 33° Treasurer 

Theo. A. Taylor Secretary 

Chas. A. Brockaway Master of Ceremonies 

Walter H. Young Hospitaler 

Henry G. Story Guard 

Henry Edebohls, 33° Tyler 

Chas. H. Luscomb, 33° Trustee 

T. Jeff. Stevens, 33° Trustee 

Edward H. Watson, 33° Trustee 



AURORA GRATA COUNCIL 

PRINCES OF JERUSALEM 

Date of Charter: June 6, 1866 

officers for 1908-1909 

Wilmuth E. Blackburn. . . .Sovereign Prince 

Charles G. Raynor High Priest 

Fred L. Pomeroy Senior Warden 

Paul M. Goodrich .Junior Warden 

T. Jeff. Stevens, 33° .Treasurer 

Theo. A. Taylor Secretary 

Edward W. Walton Master of Ceremonies 

John Denninger .Hospitaler 

Wm. E. Merriss Master of Entrances 

Henry Edebohls, 33° Tyler 

Robt. Judson Kenworthy, 33° Trustee 

John W. Richardson, 33°. Trustee 

W. Clive Crosby Trustee 



AURORA GRATA 

CHAPTER OF ROSE CROIX 



Date of Charter: June 6, 1866 



OFFICERS FOR 1908-1909 

Chas. A. Tonsor Most Wise Master 

Alfred A. Adams Senior Warden 

Fred W. Dillingham Junior Warden 

William B. Dall Orator 

Samuel P. Hartman Treasurer 

Theo. A. Taylor Secretary 

John A. Morison Master of Ceremonies 

Walter H. Young Hospitaler 

Albert E. Bobo Guard 

Henry Edebohls, 33° Tyler 

Edward R. Knowles, 33° Trustee 

Andrew Peck Trustee 

Matthias Gooderson Trustee 



AURORA GRATA 

CONSISTORY, S. P. R. S. 



Date of Charter: September 19, 1889 



OFFICERS FOR 1908-1911 

Charles H. Luscomb, 33°. . Commander-in-Chief 
Robt. Judson Kenworthy, 33° 1st Iieut-Com. 

Edward R. Knowles, 33° 2d Lieut-Corn. 

William O. Campbell, 33° Orator 

Read G. Dilworth, 33° Chancellor 

Augustus K. Sloan, 33° . . . . . Treasurer 

Theo. A. Taylor, 32° Secretary 

W. Clive Crosby, 32°. . . .Master of Ceremonies 
Russell L. Boyer, 32°. .Engineer and Seneschal 

John Denninger, 32° Hospitaler 

Arthur E. King, 32° Standard Bearer 

Arthur E. Campbell, 32° Guard 

Henry Edebohls, 33° Sentinel 

John W. Richardson, 33° Trustee 

Edwin D. Washburne, 33° Trustee 

John D. Acker, 33° Trustee 



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